A Pack to Call Home
by Water Tribe Wolf
Summary: Katara and Sokka find an abandoned pup while on a hunt Katara takes the pup in and helps him. During their journey, they meet an unexpected friend and a romance will rise between Katara and that friend. the Avatar in the first all Wolf version. please read and review.
1. Two Siblings and the Abandoned Pup

Snow covered the ground as the full moon lit up the night sky. A group of rabbits dug around in search of food, unaware that they were being watched. Two pairs of eyes followed the movements of the rabbits. Two wolves, a male and female, hid so the rabbits wouldn't spot them.

"Watch and learn Katara. This is how you catch a rabbit," the male wolf told Katara.

Katara glared at the male. Her brother, Sokka, always tried to prove that he was the best hunter and fighter of the two of them. He was a good hunter and fighter, but Katara was better. She had more patience than Sokka.

Sokka crawled slowly towards the rabbits. He glanced real quick at Katara to make sure that she was watching. Turning his gaze back at the rabbits, Sokka leapt out from their hiding spot and chased them. His long strides helped him keep up with his fleet-footed prey. Sokka got closer to the rabbit and was about to grab it with his jaws when he slid on a patch of ice and fell in a pile of snow.

Katara sat behind the bush and watched the scene with great amusement. Her sky-blue eyes glowed silver under the light of the full moon. Her tail wagged in amusement. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara spotted a rabbit that didn't run. She crept toward the rabbit and pounced on it, closing her jaws around it. She shook it once and heard the rabbit's neck snap.

Katara trotted over to where her brother was getting up and dropped the rabbit at his paws. She sat in front of Sokka and pulled her lips back in a grin, tail wagging. Sokka looked at his younger sister and whined in embarrassment.

Sokka stared at his younger sister with eyes that mirrored her own. Even though he was embarrassed, Sokka was very proud of her. After parting ways with their pack, Katara put more effort into her role as caretaker to her brother. Always the caring one, Katara would make sure that she and Sokka got enough to eat- especially with it being hard to hunt large prey if there are only two wolves. She would scold Sokka when he did something that she found to be annoying and idiotic.

At two years old, Katara was a beautiful wolf. She stood 25 inches at the shoulder. Her fur was long (think of a long-coat German Shepherd), the color of medium chocolate. She had sky-blue eyes and had a lean build.

Sokka snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Katara call to him.

"What did you say? I didn't hear you," Sokka asked, flicking an ear back and looking at his sister.

"I said that you should eat the rabbit before something steals it from under your nose," Katara told him, shaking her head. Her brother was always like that. Spacing out and acting as if he had no clue what was going on.

Sokka was four years old. He stood 27 inches at the shoulder. He had the same sky-blue eyes and medium chocolate brown fur- the fur was medium length. He had the same lean build.

Sokka was just about to eat the rabbit when something small grabbed the rabbit and took off. Frozen in shock for a few seconds, Sokka shook his head and ran after what took his food. Katara watched as Sokka took off. She sighed and broke into a fast lope. She heard her brother before she saw him.

"Why did you do that? Can't you find your own food?"

When Katara finally reached him, she saw Sokka standing over something that was cowering and whining. When Katara looked closer, she saw that it was a wolf pup. She immediately walked over to Sokka.

"SOKKA! What is the matter with you?"

As soon as Sokka heard Katara's voice, he immediately lowered his head, pinned his ears back, and tucked his tail between his legs. He knew that when he heard that tone from his sister he was in trouble.

"Why are you being mean to this pup? I understand that the pup took your food, but you didn't have to scare him," Katara scolded Sokka.

"But…" was all Sokka got out when Katara pulled her lips back and growled at him. Sokka whined and knew better than to argue with her.

Katara lowered her lips and turned to look at the pup. She calculated the pup to be between 3 and 4 months old. He was dark brown to black in color. His eyes were a light green almost grey. Katara noticed that the pup was a little too skinny for her liking. Katara walked over to the pup and lay down next to him, wagging her tail.

"Are you ok little one? I'm sorry if my brother scared you. He usually doesn't think before he does something," Katara said softly, as to not scare the pup.

The young pup looked at the older wolf. He was a little apprehensive about her being so close. As he gazed into the older wolf's sky-blue eyes, he saw care, kindness, and worry reflected in them. The pup knew right then and there that he could fully trust her.

"I am ok. I didn't mean to take your brother's food but I am really hungry. My pack left me because they figured that I was too weak to make it through the winter," the pup told Katara sadly.

Katara frowned. She felt sorry for the pup. She couldn't leave the pup alone anymore. Sokka watched his sister. He could already tell that she was going to make the decision to take care of the pup. Sokka felt sorry for the pup also. He knew that Katara had a strong motherly instinct and that this pup would benefit from it. He saw Katara glance at him, knowing what she was going to ask, and he nodded.

"How about you stay with us? It is too dangerous for a small pup to live by himself. Besides, no wolf should have to survive on their own. I would feel better if you stayed with us," Katara said, sky-blue eyes softening as she looked at the pup.

The pup's eyes widened, surprised. He didn't expect her to say that. Suddenly, feeling tired, the pup curled up into a ball in between her front legs and rested his head on her paw.

"Ok. I would feel safer with you and your brother," the pup told her.

Katara smiled softly and licked his head.

"I am Katara and my brother is Sokka. What is your name little one?"

"Aang," the pup said and drifted off to sleep.

Sokka smiled. His sister would most definitely baby the pup. That's just who she was. He walked over to his sister and lay next to her. Katara looked at him and said, "Lets get some sleep. We are going to need it."

Sokka nodded and put his head on his paws, falling asleep instantly. Katara glanced around before placing her head on her other paw and fell asleep, not thinking about the next day.

Little did the two wolves and one pup know, the following morning would bring a new presence and possible tension.


	2. A Wounded Wolf and His New Beginning

Snow fell as the sun began to rise. An eagle perched itself on the branch of an oak tree, yellow eyes surveying the ground. Suddenly, the eagle took flight, the sounds of snarling and snapping causing the eagle's escape. Then snarling grew louder. A yelp of pain could be heard. The snowy ground was splattered with blood. The snarling ceased and running paw-steps could be heard.

A whine of pain emerged from the wolf who was attacked. The slowly lifted his head, gold eyes carefully scanning his surroundings to be sure that the pack who attacked him was long gone. The wolf stood, blood pouring from a deep wound on his left shoulder.

"I should leave this territory quickly, otherwise the pack will return to finish me off," the wolf told himself.

With that said, the injured wolf slowly made his way out of the territory. After taking a few breaks, the wolf had placed a safe distance between himself and the territory where he was attacked. Travelling a little farther, the pain from his wounds became unbearable. The wolf collapsed where he stood, and fell into unconsciousness.

Not far from where the injured wolf collapsed, whining could be heard from a pup who wanted to play.

"Come on Sokka! It's time to get up!" Aang yipped, bouncing around.

"Sleep now. Get up later," Sokka groaned, rolling on his side.

Katara watched as Aang tried desperately to wake Sokka up. She laughed as Aang ran circles around Sokka, jumping on his back and yanking on his ears with his puppy teeth. She yawned and stood up, stretched, and walked over to the two. Seeing Katara, Aang stopped what he was doing and ran up to her.

"Katara! Sokka won't get up! It's morning and I want to play," Aang whined.

"Don't worry! I think if you bug him enough he will get up. He is really lazy. I am going to see if I can find him something to eat. Keep trying to wake him up. I will be back. Can you do that?" Katara said.

"Ok! I will have him awake before you get back!" Aang yipped, tail wagging.

Katara smiled and licked the top of his head. She stood up and trotted off. Lifting her muzzle, she scented the air, searching for food. Catching the faint scent of deer, Katara trotted in the direction the smell came from.

After following the scent, Katara caught sight of the deer. Slowing to a walk, she carefully made her way toward the herd. Stopping, Katara's sky-blue eyes scanned the herd, searching for weakness. Her sharp eyes spotted an old buck with a severe limp.

Katara crept closer, eyes locked on the buck. Once in range, she lept up and broke into a run. The herd scattered when they saw her. The old buck wasn't as lucky. Katara kept pace with the buck. She lunged at the buck, grabbing hold of its neck and slamming it to the ground. The buck screamed in terror and was silenced immediately when Katara's powerful jaws crushed its jugular.

Releasing her hold, Katara straightened up and licked her lips. Grabbing the dead deer, she started to drag it back to her brother and Aang. Katara was almost back to where she left Sokka and Aang when she heard a pained whine. Stopping, she dropped the deer and pricked her ears. Her sky-blue eyes searched for the source of the whine, finally spotting a large wolf lying down a couple wolf lengths away.

Katara walked toward the fallen wolf. She caught the scent of blood coming from the wolf. She stopped next to him and sat down, looking him over. She saw that he was in a lot of pain. She looked closer and saw a gaping wound on his left shoulder, blood dripping and matting the fur around it. She lay down and started to lick it clean.

As she cleaned the wound, the wolf groaned in pain. He opened his eyes and was confused about the sensation he was feeling. Once his vision cleared and he was fully conscious, he caught sight of a chocolate brown wolf lying next to him and cleaning his wound. He lifted his head and looked at the wolf with golden eyes. He was surprised to see the other wolf look straight at him with sky-blue eyes. He was even more surprised when she smiled at him kindly.

"How are you feeling?" Katara asked the black wolf.

"I am still sore. I had a run-in with a neighboring pack that ended badly," the black wolf replied.

"I assume that is how you got this wound," Katara said.

"Yes. If I may ask, why did you take care of my wound?" he asked.

Katara flicked an ear back and sighed.

"Because I wanted to. You sounded like you were in a lot of pain," Katara told him.

The black wolf was astonished. This wolf didn't even know him and wanted to help him. He looked at the ground then back at her, golden eyes getting caught in her sky-blue gaze. He pulled his lips back in a smile. He slowly stood up, careful to not put a lot of weight on his left leg.

"Thank you. Even though you don't know me, you helped me. I appreciate it. May I ask your name?" he asked.

"you don't have to thank me. I always like to help others. My name is Katara," she replied.

"it is an honor to meet you, Katara. I am Zuko," the black wolf told her.

Zuko was 4 years old. He stood 28 inches at the shoulder. His fur was jet black and a medium length. He has gold eyes and a lean, muscular build.

Katara smiled softly at Zuko. Zuko smiled back, tail wagging.

"Why don't you come with me? That way, you won't be alone," Katara asked.

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause you any trouble," Zuko replied.

Katara smiled and nodded. She walked back to her deer and dragged it towards Zuko. She walked past him, tail wagging. Zuko followed slowly. They were almost back to where Katara left her brother and the pup when they heard a lot of whining.

"AANG! STOP IT! YOU ARE MAKING ME DIZZY!"

Zuko froze when he heard the voice. Katara looked at him and told him through her body language that it was ok. Zuko looked at her and nodded. He followed her and was surprised by what he saw. A small black pup was running circles around a large chocolate brown male, who was whining and trying to get the pup to stop. Zuko glanced at Katara, who dropped the deer. She shook her head and started laughing.

Hearing the laugh, Aang stopped running around Sokka. Seeing Katara, he ran up to her and whined happily, his tail wagging a mile a minute. He didn't even notice the large black wolf standing next to Katara. Katara laughed at Aang's antics and licked the top of his head. Zuko stared at them, confused.

"You're back! Did you get anything? I was able to get Sokka up but it took me awhile," Aang yipped, bouncing around excitedly.

"I was able to get a deer. You should calm down or you will be asleep before you can eat," Katara laughed, nudging the pup and licking his face.

Aang barked happily then froze when he noticed Zuko standing next to Katara. Whimpering, he pinned his ears and flipped onto his back, tail tucked. Zuko stared at the pup and whined. He lay down and wagged his tail, letting the pup know that he wasn't going to hurt him. Aang slowly got up and crawled over to the black wolf, licking his muzzle and whining. Zuko, having a soft spot for pups, licked the pup's face and stood up. Aang jumped up, slapped the snow with his paws in a play-bow, and ran over to bug Sokka. Zuko smiled as he watched the pup trying to get the other male to play.

Katara laughed, tail wagging.

"Sokka get over here," she barked.

Sokka ran over to Katara, Aang chasing him and trying to bite at his tail. Sokka looked at the deer with wide eyes. His mouth started to water. He was about to tear into it when he saw Zuko.

"Who are you? Why did you follow my sister?" Sokka growled, hackles going up.

"Your sister found me on her way back here. She saw that I was injured and wanted to help me," Zuko growled back, head and tail going up.

"Sokka! Leave him alone! He was attacked by the pack north of us. He was injured and I said he could join us," Katara scolded Sokka.

Sokka was about to complain when Katara pulled back her lips and snarled a warning, hackles rising and head and tail standing above his. He immediately lowered his head. Aang sat next to Sokka, watching. Zuko stared in disbelief. Katara seemed real sweet when she helped him. He told himself right then and there that he would not get on her bad side.

Katara's lips went down. She walked to the deer and tore into its stomach, blood pooling into the snow. Aang ran over and started to eat next to Katara. Sokka crawled over and whined, asking permission to eat. When Katara nodded, he dug right in. Zuko stood a few feet away, not sure if he should approach. Katara looked at him. Zuko got the message and joined them.

When Katara finished, she growled at Sokka, who took the hint and walked away, searching for a spot to sleep. Aang finished and waited for Katara. Katara shook the snow off her long fur and trotted to a spot under a tree. She laid down and watched Zuko finish.

Aang ran over to Katara and curled up at her side, falling asleep instantly. Katara glanced over at Sokka, who was rolled on his back, already asleep. Katara licked Aang's back and placed her head on her paws, slowly drifting to sleep. Feeling someone next to her, Katara looked up and saw Zuko lying down next to her. She smiled and closed her eyes, falling asleep. Even though she was asleep, Katara didn't even flinch when Zuko rested his head on her back and drifted off. Sokka's snores didn't even wake them.


	3. Establishing a Bond and Familiar Faces

It was the following morning. The snowfall ceased. A deer carcass lay in the snow. Snoring could be heard. The snoring woke Zuko up. Zuko lifted his head from Katara's back and yawned. A whine escaped him when the soreness from his wound made itself known. Zuko cleaned it as best he could. He looked around, ears flicking to listen for danger. Hearing nothing, Zuko placed his head on Katara's back and closed his eyes.

Sokka woke up and yawned. He stood up and stretched, shaking the snow off his fur. Looking around, he froze when he saw Zuko lying next to his sister, head rested on her back. Sokka trotted over to them and lunged at Zuko, snarling. Zuko jumped up and threw Sokka off him. Sokka lunged again and grabbed onto his hindquarter. Zuko growled in pain and snapped at Sokka. Sokka let go and rammed into him, knocking him to the toppling him to the ground and stood over him.

Katara jolted awake when she heard growling. Aang lifted his head and looked around to see what was going on. Katara stood up and looked around, spotting Sokka as he knocked Zuko to the ground. Katara ran up to Sokka, sank her teeth into his neck, and threw him to the ground. She placed herself between Zuko and Sokka.

"Will you tell me what is going on?" Katara growled.

"Zuko was too close to you and Aang. I was keeping my promise to protect you from a threat like him," Sokka told her.

Zuko groaned as he stood up, blood dripping from the new wound on his hindquarter. His gold eyes glared at Sokka.

"I know we met yesterday, but I can assure you that I will not cause any harm to your sister," Zuko barked.

"Sokka, just leave it be. Zuko is not causing any harm. I want you to apologize and try to get along," Katara scolded her brother.

Knowing not to push her, Sokka lowered his head and licked her muzzle. He looked at Zuko and mumbled a 'sorry'. Zuko nodded. Aang ran over and sat in front of Katara, wagging his tail. Katara smiled softly at the pup.

"We should head out. There is a river in the area that is filled with fish. It shouldn't be covered in ice since the snow is melting," Katara said.

Sokka's head shot up, ears pricked. Aang got excited and ran around the three adults. Katara laughed and shook her head. Zuko's gold eyes lit up. Katara danced around. Stopping, Katara threw her head back and let out a melodious howl. Sokka's howl joined in, as did Aang's puppy howl. Zuko waited a second, then threw back his head and let out a deep howl that seemed to intertwine with Katara's.

Once the howling ended, Katara trotted away. Sokka trotted after. Aang ran passed Sokka to be with Katara. Zuko brought up the rear. The small pack traveled a good distance, only stopping to let Aang and Zuko rest. Finally, the small pack reached the river. Exhausted, Zuko, Sokka, and Aang lay down.

Katara scanned the area around them with sky-blue eyes, making sure that there was no danger. She turned her gaze towards Zuko, Sokka, and Aang. All three of them were lying on their sides, tails slapping the ground. Katara stepped into the river and stood quietly, sky-blue eyes focusing on the fish. Seeing one, she dipped her muzzle in the water and grabbed it in her powerful jaws. Trotting to the river bank, she placed it in the snow and returned to the river. By the time she was done, a good twenty fish lay dead in the snow.

Smelling the fish, Sokka jumped up and grabbed one, taking it back to his spot to eat. Aang bounced over and grabbed one, taking it over to Katara and lay next to her, tearing into it. Zuko stood up and was about to grab one when he heard a howl. He spun around, ears flicking back. Katara stood up and walked over to Zuko. She glanced at him and nudged his neck with her muzzle. Zuko calmed down and returned the nudge.

Sokka glanced at Katara and Zuko. He wasn't too sure about Zuko, but he will give him a chance. Sokka tore into another fish and ignored them. Aang had finished and ran over to Katara, slapping his paws in a play-bow and ran. Katara chased after him, growling playfully and chased him, rolling him over a few times. Aang laughed happily. He jumped up and nipped at her chin and neck. Katara pushed her muzzle gently into his side and rolled him over again, laughing.

Zuko sat and watched them play. Sokka had fallen asleep. Zuko's ear flicked back when he heard a rustle in the bushes. Turning to look, his gold eyes caught the sight of two wolves that he didn't think he would see again. The two wolves stepped out of the bushes, not knowing that there were other wolves there.

Zuko glanced at Sokka, Katara, and Aang. He looked back at the two wolves, who appeared to be arguing. The two wolves stopped talking and froze when they saw Zuko. The silver male stared with wide gold eyes. The black female gazed at him with soft brown eyes.

Zuko was about to say something when Aang ran over to him and crouched under his stomach, tail wagging. Zuko looked at him and then saw Katara run over to him. Zuko wagged his tail then focused his attention on the silver male and black female.

"Zuko? Is it really you?" the female said, walking up to him slowly.

"It is me. I have missed you, mother," Zuko said softly, whining.

The female stopped and licked his muzzle, whining happily. Katara stared, not knowing what to say. Aang crawled over to Katara and sat next to her. Sokka was still snoring away.

"Ursa, I think you should let the pup breathe for a minute, "the silver male laughed.

"I'm just so happy to see him again. It has been three years since I left, Iroh," Ursa whined. Iroh laughed.

Ursa was 7 years old. She stood 25 inches at the shoulder. Her fur was midnight black and she has brown eyes. She had a lean build. She is Zuko's mother.

Iroh was 9 years old. He stood 26 inches at the shoulder. His fur was dark silver and he has gold eyes. He was a little chunky. He is Zuko's uncle.

"I am so glad that we found you. Your mother and I have been really worried about you, since you left the pack," Iroh told him.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to worry you," Zuko said, shaking.

Seeing that Zuko was getting stressed, Katara walked up to him and pressed herself against his side. Zuko calmed down as soon as Katara leaned against him. Katara smiled softly at him and nipped his cheek, wagging her tail. Zuko nipped back playfully.

Ursa and Iroh watched the two. They had noticed when Zuko started getting stressed. They saw him calm down quickly when the chocolate brown female leaned on him. Ursa never remembered her pup letting anyone get that close to him, unless it was her. Iroh didn't remember either. They both knew right then and there that this female was special.

Zuko looked back at his mother and uncle, whining and wagging his tail. His gold eyes lit up and he smiled. Katara, noticing his excitement, smiled softly. Aang, getting bored, started running circles around Katara and jumping up to nip at her tail and chin. Katara crouched into a play-bow and ran a few feet away, Aang chasing after her. Katara barked, tail wagging. Iroh and Ursa watched Katara and Aang chasing each other and looked at Zuko.

"Who are they?" Ursa asked her son.

Zuko glanced over at Katara, Sokka, and Aang. Sokka was sleeping, paws twitching. Katara was laying down, tail flicking back and forth. Aang was pouncing on her tail and jumping on her back. Katara, being very tolerant, let him. She would only nip at Aang when he got to rough. Zuko then looked back at his mother, smiling.

"I had gotten into a fight and was badly injured two moons ago. Katara, the female, found me when she was returning from a hunt. She cleaned my wound and invited me to join her, her brother, and the pup. The male who is sleeping is her older brother, Sokka. He wasn't too happy when he saw me. We got into a scuffle this morning, but Katara broke it up. He is ok now. The pup is Aang. From what I can tell, he was abandoned and Katara took him in," Zuko told his mother and uncle.

"Are you ok? You're not hurting anywhere are you? Katara didn't get hurt did she?" Ursa asked, concerned.

Zuko laughed. "I'm ok, still a little sore. Katara didn't get hurt. She may seem sweet-tempered, but she is real tough too. When Sokka got a hold of my and knocked me down, she grabbed him and threw him to the ground, pinning him. Even though he acts like he is tough, Sokka is really submissive to her and knows better than to challenge or argue with her. Other than that, Katara is really kind and caring."

Ursa sighed, relieved that Zuko was ok. Iroh pulled his lips back in a grin, gold eyes glinting mischievously. Zuko didn't notice, something had run into his leg. He looked down to see Aang, paws placed on his leg and tail wagging. Katara trotted over and licked Aang's head.

"Katara, I would like to introduce you to my mother and my uncle," Zuko said.

"It is an honor to meet you," Katara said softly, lowering her head and tail in respect.

"It is an honor to meet you also. We want to thank you for caring for Zuko when he was attacked. It has been a long time since we last saw him and we have missed him greatly," Ursa replied, smiling softly. "I am Ursa, Zuko's mother."

"I am Iroh, Zuko's uncle. But you can call me Uncle if you want!" Iroh said.

"You don't mind if we joined you, would you?" Ursa asked.

Katara glanced at Zuko. He seemed happy and content. Katara didn't know how long it had been since Zuko had any contact with his mother and uncle. Being the one who cared for the small pack, Katara wanted Zuko to be happy. She smiled softly and looked back at Ursa and Iroh.

"Of course you can join us. I am sure that you want to catch up with Zuko. I have a feeling that it has been a long time since you saw each other. I want Zuko to be happy and to know that others care for him," Katara said softly.

Smiling, Katara picked a sleeping Aang up by his scruff and carried him over to Sokka, who was watching and heard everything. She placed Aang next to Sokka, then she walked a few wolf-lengths away and lay down. Placing her head on her paws, she closed her sky-blue eyes and fell asleep. Sokka went to the river to get a drink, ate a few more fish, then walked back to his spot and went back to sleep. Aang got up, stumbled over to Katara and curled up at her side, falling back to sleep.

"I think it is time we got some sleep also. It has been a long day and we are exhausted," Ursa said softly.

Iroh and Zuko nodded. Zuko licked his mother's muzzle affectionately and nudged his uncle's muzzle. Iroh nudged him back, then walked to find a spot to sleep. Ursa did the same. They placed their heads on their paws and pretended to fall asleep, watching Zuko to see what he would do. Ursa and Iroh had a feeling that Zuko would most likely lie near Katara, as they seemed to share a bond.

Their suspicions were confirmed when they saw Zuko trot over to Katara and Aang. They watched as he lay down right next to Katara. They noticed him doing a quick scan of their surroundings with his sharp gold eyes. Iroh and Ursa smiled when they saw him relax and place his head protectively on Katara's back, falling asleep instantly. They had a strong feeling that this would develop from friends into something more. They hoped for it. They fell asleep minutes later.


	4. A Challenger, The Winner, New Packmate

Three weeks came and went. The snow was starting to melt. Winter was almost over. Spring was about to begin. Wild flowers were sprouting up from the ground. Spring brought new beginnings.

Katara stood on a hill, scanning the surroundings with her sky-blue eyes. The snow had practically disappeared. The weather was starting to get warm. Katara knew that spring was about to arrive. This made it easier to find large game. Spring also meant that she would have to be constantly on guard, as it was the beginning of breeding season.

Shaking her head, Katara walked back to where her pack was. Stretching, she laid down and rested her head on her paws. Closing her eyes, Katara flicked an ear back and sighed, falling asleep. Katara felt safe and content, knowing that she could trust her pack to protect her. She smiled in her sleep when she felt one of her pack mates lay next to her. Even in sleep, Katara knew it was Zuko.

Zuko watched the pack. His mother and uncle were taking a nap in the shade, stomachs full from a recent kill. Aang, now 5 months old, was wrestling with Sokka. Zuko wagged his tail and glanced at Katara. He watched as she lay down under an oak tree and drifted off to sleep.

Zuko stood up, stretched, and walked over to Katara. Lying down next to her, Zuko yawned and placed his head on her back. Zuko and Katara had grown very close since he joined her, Sokka, and Aang a month before. They would play, talk, and argue. Just like Sokka, Zuko was quite protective of Katara. When she was too tired to play with Aang or argue with her brother, he took her place. The way Zuko and Katara behaved reminded Ursa, Iroh, and Sokka of an alpha pair. They did everything together.

Sokka played tag with Aang. Aang chased after him, wagging his tail happily. At 5 months old, Aang's head was level with Katara's and Ursa's shoulders. His adult teeth had already come in. he was blowing his puppy fuzz, his adult fur replacing it. Aang enjoyed playing with Iroh and Ursa and loved rough-housing with Sokka. Zuko would take him out to hunt small game and go on patrol. When he wasn't playing or hunting, Aang would stay real close to Katara.

Getting tired from playing, Sokka and Aang lay down where they stood. Aang fell asleep first. Sokka glanced around, sky-blue eyes landing on his sister and Zuko. He knew that they were close. He would notice the glances they shot at each other. He saw that Zuko was quite protective of Katara, guarding her when she napped and challenging anyone who he felt was a threat. Sokka was certain that, once breeding season hit, Zuko would become even more protective and territorial. Strangely enough, Sokka was fine with that. Laying his head on his paws, Sokka fell asleep.

Ursa was the first to wake the following morning. Standing up, she stretched and walked to the stream to get a drink. When she was finished, Ursa walked back and sat a few wolf-lengths away from her son and Katara. Watching them sleep, Ursa smiled softly. She was happy that Zuko had found a female that he doted on and cared greatly for, and Katara seemed to return his feelings.

Ursa liked Katara a lot. Katara was very kind and caring and shared a very strong bond with Zuko. Ursa could tell that she loved pups, as she was constantly mothering Aang. Ursa also liked that Katara was very gentle and patient. Iroh thought this as well. They both knew that, with breeding season fast approaching, Zuko would become extremely territorial and protective.

A few days later, mating season had finally arrived. Katara was on guard more than normal. She would look around, keeping an eye out for intruders. When she was unsure about something, she would talk to Ursa. Katara noticed that Zuko was becoming more territorial and staying close to her, never letting her out of his sight. She knew that mating season was the cause of this.

"Katara! Can we go hunt? Sokka is whining and complaining that he is hungry," Aang walked up to her and asked.

"Ok. I was going to look for food anyway," Katara answered.

Katara and Aang trotted away. They traveled a couple miles, finally catching sight of a herd of deer. They snuck up on the herd, watching for weakness. Aang spotted a large doe with a limp. He glanced at Katara, who nodded and looked back. Crawling closer, they jumped up and broke into a run.

They chased after the lame doe. Katara flicked an ear and Aang veered to the right. Aang picked up his pace and grabbed onto the doe's hindquarter. Katara flew past him, whipped around, and lunged. She grabbed hold of the doe's neck and crushed its jugular, killing it instantly. Katara and Aand pranced around, happy to have caught enough food to last the pack a couple days. Walking a few feet away, Katara threw her head back and howled, letting the pack know they had made a kill.

Aang heard Sokka answer, letting them know that they were on their way. Aang barked happily and licked Katara's muzzle. Katara smiled and nipped his ear. Aang was almost 6 months old. Katara was happy that he was growing well and filling out. She missed when he was a small-pup. She loved when he followed her around and curl up by her stomach to sleep.

Rustling was heard and Katara snapped her head in the direction where it came. She hoped that it was her pack, but she was mistaken. A dark brown wolf appeared from the bushes. The wolf trotted over to Katara and grinned. Katara glared at the wolf with sky-blue eyes.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Katara," the dark brown wolf said.

"I think you should leave. I told you before that I wouldn't join your pack. I am not going to change my mind, Jet," Katara growled, hackles going up.

"Come on Katara. You would have a lot of pack-mates to talk to. You only have your brother and that pup. Doesn't matter. You will be my female and help me lead the pack," Jet grinned.

Jet was 5 years old. He stood 28 inches at the shoulder. His fur is dark brown and he has brown eyes. He has a lean build. He met Katara the previous year when he was traveling as a loner. He is intent on making Katara his.

"I will tell you again. NO!" Katara snarled. Aang watched from near the carcass, hoping that the pack comes quick before things got out of hand.

"If you don't come willingly, then I will take you," Jet growled.

Jet darted forward, catching Katara off guard. Katara was knocked to the ground, Jet standing over her. Katara snarled and snapped at his leg. She crawled out from under him and snapped at him again. She backed away quickly, being sure to keep her hind-end away from him. She had gone in to heat a few days before breeding season started, and she didn't want to be caught by a male that she didn't know or trust. Jet fell in that category.

Jet trotted around Katara, who circled around and keeping her hind-end away from him and snarling. When he got too close, Katara would lunge at him and snap. He backed up and tried again. After a few more tries, Jet finally got close enough to Katara and was about to mount her when he was suddenly knocked to the ground. Jumping up, Jet snarled at who had knocked him down.

Zuko ran in the direction where Katara howled. Iroh, Ursa, and Sokka were behind him by twenty wolf-lengths. He had a feeling that something was wrong. He lengthened his stride and ran faster. In the distance, snarling and snapping could be heard and Zuko's stride increased. As soon as he reached the spot, Zuko saw a dark brown male wolf circling Katara. When he saw that the male was about to mount her, he charged and knocked the male to the ground.

When Jet stood up, Zuko placed himself in front of Katara and snarled. Katara was shaking, scared at what Jet was going to do before Zuko knocked him down. She whined and shakily walked over to Aang and lay down. Zuko kept an eye on her until she laid down, then turned his gold eyes back to Jet.

"Who do you think you are? Katara belongs to me. Get lost!" Jet growled.

"Katara does NOT belong to you! You are disgraceful! Leave!" Zuko said, snarling.

"She will belong to me. If I have to take her by force, then so be it. I will not lose to you!" Jet growled.

Sokka, Iroh, and Ursa had just arrived and stood next to Katara and Aang. They kept their eyes on Zuko and Jet. They knew better than to get in between the two males. Ursa lay next to Katara to comfort her. Aang licked her muzzle and put his head on her paw. Iroh and Sokka watched the two males.

Zuko and Jet circled each other. Their hackles stood straight up, making them appear bigger. Their ears were pinned back and their lips lifted, letting out a menacing snarl. Jet charged, teeth snapping at Zuko's neck. Zuko feinted to the side and snapped at Jet's hindquarter, fangs grabbing hold and tearing into it.

Jet growled and turned his head to snap at Zuko's shoulder. Zuko released Jet's hindquarter and latched onto his neck. He rolled Jet onto the ground and held on to his throat, slowly putting pressure on his windpipe. Jet whined and Zuko let go.

"Leave. Or I will not hesitate to destroy you," Zuko said and turned away, walk towards Katara.

Jet slowly got up. Seeing that Zuko had turned his back to him, Jet lunged at him. Zuko whipped around and grabbed onto Jet's throat, piercing the jugular with his powerful jaws. Zuko let go and watched as Jet's lifeless body hit the ground with a _thud_.

"I gave you a chance to leave. You ruined that chance when you decided to attack when I turned my back to you. None of this would have happened if you didn't try and take what is most precious to me," Zuko said.

Zuko trotted over to the pack. Aang jumped up and licked his muzzle. Zuko nudged his head. Iroh and Ursa nudged his nack and Sokka nipped his ear, tail wagging. Zuko smirked and nipped back. He finally turned his gold eyes on Katara.

Katara stopped shaking and slowly looked into Zuko's gold eyes with her sky-blue ones. She whined and crawled up to him, nibbling on his chin. Zuko smiled softly and took her muzzle in his mouth gently. Zuko let go and placed his head on her neck, tail wagging. Katara turned her head and licked his muzzle.

Iroh and Ursa watched the two. There was going to be a big change in the near future. Sokka was happy for his sister. He knew that Zuko would treat her well. He had a feeling that it was going to get hectic. Aang barked happily and licked Katara's muzzle. She smiled and wagged her tail.

"I'm starving! Can we eat now?" Sokka barked.

"Yeah! I'm hungry too!" Aang yipped.

The pack laughed. They walked over to the deer and sat down, waiting for the alphas to eat. Zuko stood over the kill, growling at Sokka when he crawled closer. Katara tore into the deer's abdomen, eating the liver and the gut. Zuko ate beside her.

When Zuko and Katara finished, they let the rest eat. Katara, stomach filled, walked over to a tree and sprawled on her side in the shade. Zuko watched as Sokka and Aang fought over the hind leg. Iroh and Ursa lay in the sun, napping. Zuko trotted over to Katara and lay next to her. Katara looked up at him with sky-blue eyes.

"Thanks for saving me from Jet. I am sorry to cause you any trouble," Katara said.

"Not a problem. I was afraid that you would be taken away from me. You mean everything to me. I- I love you," Zuko said, ears pulled back in embarrassment and turning his head away.

Katara's sky-blue eyes widened then relaxed. She pulled her lips back and smiled softly. She nuzzled his neck.

"I love you too," Katara told him.

Zuko smiled, gold eyes shining mischievously. Standing up, he slapped his paws to the ground in a play-bow. Katara jumped up and play-bowed. Zuko ran into the woods, Katara on his heels. They ran through the woods side-by-side. They stopped at a river to get a drink.

Katara walked over to Zuko and licked his muzzle. He nuzzled her and nipped her cheek. Katara rubbed her body against his, her tail flicking him in the nose teasingly. Zuko tried his hardest to stay composed. Katara being in heat made it extremely difficult for him.

Zuko couldn't take it anymore and mounted Katara. She whined, feeling the intense pressure from it being her first time mating. Zuko stayed mounted on her, growling soothingly in her ear. She whined again then relaxed. They remained like this for half an hour. Zuko dismounted gently and faced in the opposite direction, still tied to her. Zuko released and pulled away gently, as to not hurt Katara.

Zuko walked in front of Katara and licked her muzzle. She wagged her tail and nipped his ear. They played tag for a little. After awhile, Zuko mounted her again for a final time. He continued to growl soothingly to her. After an hour, Zuko dismounted and faced the other way, remaining tied. He finally released and pulled away.

Katara licked his muzzle and sighed contently. She glanced at him and smiled softly. Zuko smiled back and they walked side-by-side back to their pack. When they were almost back to the pack, they heard rustling come from a bush. They froze, Zuko stepping in front of Katara protectively. Katara pricked her ears, sky-blue eyes searching.

"Those idiots thought they could mess with me? They didn't know what just hit them!" a female voice said.

Zuko and Katara watched as a female wolf pup emerged from the bushes. She appeared to be Aang's age, about 5 months old. Katara gently nudged Zuko out of the way.

"Are you ok?" Katara asked the pup softly.

"I am fine. A few coyotes were messing with me. but I showed them whose boss!" the pup laughed.

"What? They didn't hurt you did they? You're still just a pup. Where is your pack?" Katara asked in concern.

"No, they didn't hurt me. They were just teasing me. as for my pack, they were way too strict. So I left," the pup replied, gazing at Katara.

"It's not safe to live alone. Why don't you come with us? There is a pup in my pack that is the same age as you. He has never been around another pup and would like to have a play-mate," Katara said.

"I guess that is acceptable. What are your names?" the pup asked.

"I am Katara and this is my mate, Zuko. What is your name?" Katara asked softly.

"My name is Toph," the pup replied.

Toph was 5 months old. Her head was lever with Katara's back. She has dark brown fur and silver/grey eyes. The color of her eyes could be mistaken for cataracts, however, she has good vision.

Katara smiled and walked away, heading to the pack. Toph trotted after her. Zuko brought up the rear. As always, they heard the pack before they saw them.

"AANG! GIVE THAT MEAT BACK!"

"Give it a rest, Sokka! You ate enough to last you a week," Zuko barked.

Sokka looked at Zuko and groaned. Aang ran over to Katara and licked her chin. Katara wagged her tail. Aang caught sight of Toph and wagged his tail, barking excitedly. Toph cocked her head to the side. She slapped her paws to the ground in a play-bow. She leapt over Aang and tore off around the clearing. Aang chased after her in a game of tag.

Toph ran up to Sokka, yanked on his tail, and ran off. Sokka yelped and ran after Toph, who was laughing. Aang ran into Sokka, laughing. Iroh chuckled and joined in the game. Ursa, Zuko, and Katara laughed. Sokka was always picked on by Aang. It was funny to watch the pups and Iroh mess with him. No matter how much he complained, Sokka loved playing with them.

The pack soon got tired from running and playing. The moon was lighting up the dark-blue sky. Aang and Toph fell asleep, curled up next to each other. Sokka was sprawled out on his side next to the pups, snoring. Iroh and Ursa slept a foot away from Sokka and the pups.

Katara lay under a tree, head on her paws watching. Zuko marked a nearby bush. He trotted over to Katara and settled down next to her. She smiled softly and licked his muzzle affectionately. Zuko nuzzled her neck and placed his head on her back. She placed her head on his paws and sighed in contentment. She sensed that things were going to change soon, and that this change would bring great happiness to the pack.


	5. Old Friend, Searching, and the Surprise

A month and a half had gone by since Zuko and Katara became mates. Zuko became over-protective of her. He sensed a change in her personality, scent, and appearance. He would not let her hunt. When Toph and Aang played rough, Zuko made sure that they wouldn't run into Katara.

Aang and Toph were almost 7 months old. Ever since Toph joined the pack, they became inseparable. Toph was the dominant pup of the two. She teased Aang at times. Both of them would pull pranks on the pack, targeting Sokka the most. Toph, like Aang, attached herself to Katara. When they would get upset or scared, they would not leave Katara's side.

Ursa and Iroh would keep an eye on Katara when the others went on a hunt. Just like Zuko, they were afraid that Katara would get hurt. They were excited. The whole pack was.

Katara was sprawled on her side, resting in the shade. She was bored, having been left out of yet another hunt. She growled in annoyance, hating that she wasn't allowed to lead the hunt. Zuko wouldn't let her play rough with the pack or hunt. Even though Katara was annoyed, she understood why. She was heavy with pups and Zuko didn't want her to get hurt. Closing her sky-blue eyes, she fell into a deep sleep.

Sokka lay nearby, guarding her heavily pregnant sister while the pack hunted. He was excited. His sister would have her first litter at the end of the month. Sokka knew that Katara would be an excellent mother. He could tell that she was excited.

Sokka glanced at Katara. She was fast asleep, ears flicking around. Sokka looked around the clearing, wondering when the rest of the pack would return. He was starving, and he knew that Katara was also. Suddenly, the snap of a branch caught Sokka's attention. Ears pricked forward, Sokka stood slowly and looked in the direction of the noise. A female wolf stepped into the clearing, freezing when she saw Sokka. Sokka looked at the wolf in shock. Finally realizing who it was, he bounded over to her with his tail wagging excitedly.

"Suki! How are you doing? I really missed you!" Sokka yipped excitedly.

"I missed you too Sokka!" Suki whined, licking Sokka's muzzle.

Suki was 4 years old. She stood 25 inches at the shoulder. She has dark brown fur and green eyes. She was Sokka's best friend when they were pups.

"What have you been doing? It's been years," Sokka asked.

"When I heard that you and Katara left your pack, I left mine. I was hoping to cross paths with you again. I am happy that we are together again," Suki said, nuzzling Sokka. He smiled and licked her muzzle.

"Stay with us," Sokka whined. Suki nodded, smiling.

A howl was heard in the distance. Four other howls joined in. sokka pricked his ears. Suki followed. Sokka barked excitedly. Zuko had made a kill! Sokka howled back. Suki glanced at Sokka, wagging her tail. Looking around, she spotted Katara sleeping in the shade.

A few minutes later, Zuko and the rest of the pack appeared. All of them were dragging an elk carcass into the clearing. Sokka ran over and greeted them, tail wagging. Suki watched as the large black male nipped Sokka, then trotted over to the sleeping Katara. She watched as two pups tackled Sokka, a silver male and black female joining in.

Zuko trotted over to a sleeping Katara, sitting next to her. His gold eyes looked at her lovingly. His golden eyes scanned her body, taking in her beauty. He looked at her stomach, swollen with their unborn pups. A few more weeks and their pups would arrive. He couldn't wait. Zuko licked her muzzle affectionately and walked over to the others.

As always, Toph and Aang were wrestling with Sokka. Iroh was napping in the sun. Ursa was swimming in the lake. Glancing around, Zuko noticed a female that he didn't remember being there earlier. He let out a low growl and walked over to the female. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko noticed Sokka stop playing and looking at the female with worried eyes.

Zuko stopped in his tracks and looked at Sokka. His head and tail went up and he glared at Sokka. Sokka trotted over to Zuko, head lowered and ears back. Suki looked at Sokka. She had never seen him be submissive to any wolf in his pack, only his sister.

"I told you to keep an eye on Katara while we hunted. I don't know if this female is a threat to Katara. Who is she?" Zuko growled at Sokka.

Sokka was about to open his mouth when a voice was heard.

"Don't worry Zuko. She is no threat. Sokka knew her since they were pups. Our parents are good friends with hers. I have to admit that I am surprised to see her. It has been a long time hasn't it, Suki,"

Zuko, Sokka, and Suki turned to see Katara sitting behind them. Sokka whined and licked Katara's chin. Suki watched as Zuko walked over to Katara and licked her muzzle affectionately. When Katara stood, Suki looked at her closely. She was shocked. Katara's stomach bulged. Suki had a feeling that she was heavy with pups.

"It has been a long time, Katara," Suki said.

Katara smiled softly and wagged her tail. Looking around, she saw an elk carcass. She licked Zuko's muzzle and trotted over to it. She tore into the carcass, eating the heart, liver, and kidneys. Stopping what they were doing, Toph and Aang ran over to Katara. They crawled over to her cautiously, whimpering and whining.

Suki watched Katara. When she saw the two pups running over to Katara, she got worried. A pack usually lets small pups eat with them, only pushing them away when the adults felt they had enough. When pups get older, they have to wait until the adults walk away from the food. Suki was astonished when she saw that Katara didn't push the two pups away. Suki looked at Zuko and Sokka, confused.

"You must be wondering why Katara isn't pushing Aang and Toph away from the food," Zuko said, looking at Suki.

"Yes, actually. From what I know, older pups have to wait until the pack is done eating," Suki replied.

"Katara is more lenient when it comes to those two. Her maternal instincts are so much stronger than that of any female I know. She is the mother of the pack," Zuko told her.

They watched Katara and the two pups. Toph and Aang growled as they ate. Katara, full from the 20 pounds of meat she consumed, licked the top of their heads. She walked a few wolf-lengths away and lay down, head on her paws. When Toph and Aang finished, they ran over to Katara. Whining and wagging their tails, Toph and Aang licked her muzzle. They curled up next to her and fell asleep. Katara looked at them with sky-blue eyes and smiled softly. She licked their muzzles, placed her head on her paws, and fell asleep.

"She is really good with them. I'm kind of jealous," Suki whined.

Sokka glanced over to Suki, then looked at Zuko. Zuko looked at Sokka, knowing what he wanted to ask. Zuko nodded, walked over to Katara and lay down next to her, placing his head on her back and falling asleep. Sokka stared at Zuko. In a pack, only the alpha pair can mate. Sokka was surprised that he received permission from Zuko.

Sokka looked at Suki, grinning. Suki smiled at him. She was in heat. Sokka play-bowed and ran into the woods, Suki on his tail. They stopped at a stream a few miles from the clearing. Sokka nuzzled Suki, who licked his muzzle and nipped at his ear.

Sokka mounted Suki. Suki groaned from the pressure. Sokka licked her ear and growled. He stayed mounted for half an hour. Dismounting, Sokka faced the other way, still tied to Suki. After awhile, he released and pulled away. They mated every other hour until the moon rose. Sokka mounted her one more time, staying on her for an hour. He dismounted and turned the other way, tied. After twenty minutes, Sokka released and pulled away.

Sokka licked Suki's muzzle. They ran back to the pack. After eating some of the carcass, Sokka and Suki curled up next to each other and fell asleep. Zuko glanced over at them. He looked at Katara and smiled softly. Placing his head on her back protectively, he went back to sleep.

Two weeks flew by. Suki had integrated into the pack well. Iroh and Ursa joked around with her. Sokka doted on her. Aang and Toph liked her, but their attachment to Katara was too strong to let go. Zuko didn't mind having her in the pack.

Katara groaned as she stood up. She was nearing the very end of her first pregnancy. Her belly bulged even more and she began to drop, getting prepared to nurse her pups when they are born. Katara searched for a few days when she finally found a den to have her pups. It was in a safe area of the pack's large territory. The den was similar to the one that she was born in. the inside was large, giving her room to stretch and move around without injuring the litter.

The entire pack knew that Katara was very close to having her pups. Aang and Toph would not leave her side when the pack went to hunt. The entire pack doted on her, Zuko especially. He made sure that she was comfortable and well-fed. He was very reluctant to leave her for too long.

The moon was about to rise when Katara had a strange feeling. Looking around, Katara saw that the pack was sleeping deeply. Getting up, Katara walked to get a drink from the stream. As she drank, Katara felt a pressure in her stomach. She looked at her belly and saw it ripple in what she felt was a contraction.

Katara slowly made her way to the den, being sure to not wake the pack. When Katara lay in the den, a contraction rippled through her stomach. She whined quietly as another contraction hit, breaking her water in the process. As time went by, the contractions became extremely painful and closer together.

Katara groaned as another contraction wracked her body. Lifting her head, Katara looked at her hind-end and saw a pup covered in the embryotic sac coming out. When the pup was out, Katara gently tore the sac off the pup and chewed through the umbilical cord. She thoroughly licked the newborn pup clean. The newborn pup cried out a few times and wriggled towards Katara's stomach. Katara very carefully picked the pup up and placed her by her side. Feeling a nipple, the pup latched on and started nursing. Katara rested for ten minutes before the contractions started again.

It was past sunrise when the pack woke up. Sensing that something wasn't right, Zuko glanced around. Sokka and Suki were sleeping behind a bush. Iroh and Ursa slept near the water. Toph and Aang were curled up against him. Katara was nowhere in sight.

Zuko started to panic. He got up and looked around. He was about to search through the woods when a noise caught his attention. His ears pricked forward, listening closely. It sounded like whimpering. Zuko glanced at the other and frowned. It was too high-pitched to be Toph and Aang.

The whimpers continued, leaving Zuko confused. A groan was heard, followed by more whimpers. Zuko froze, ears twitching and his gold eyes caught sight of the den. Walking towards the den, the whimpers grew louder. Freezing again, Zuko's golden eyes widened and realization set in.

Zuko trotted quickly to the entranced of the den and peered inside. There lay Katara, sprawled on her side and resting. Whimpering sounded from the newborn pups. Zuko crawled closer to get a better look. Eleven pups squirmed around, finding a place to nurse. He looked at Katara affectionately. She looked exhausted after having whelped such a large litter. Zuko smiled softly and quietly crawled out of the den.

Zuko trotted over to his pack. His head held high and his tail waving like a banner. The pack was starting to wake up. They noticed that Zuko seemed very energetic. Wondering why, the pack looked around. Katara was missing. They started to panic and looked at Zuko. Realization hit them as they watched Zuko.

Everyone leapt up and crowded around Zuko. They barked and whined, licking Zuko's chin excitedly. Zuko took each of their muzzles gently in his mouth, tail wagging. Zuko threw his head back, letting out a deep howl and announcing the arrival of his pups. The rest of the pack joined in, barking and howling in excitement. When the howling ended, Zuko initiated a game of tag.

The pack ran and played. Aang and Toph wrestled with Zuko. Iroh, Suki, and Ursa played tag. Sokka challenged Zuko to a play fight, only to be tackled to the ground by Toph and Aang. While the pack played, Zuko went hunting. He caught and killed a badly injured deer and dragged it back to the den. Zuko growled and snapped at Sokka when he tried to take a bite.

Zuko dragged the deer into the den. Tearing the liver out, he carried it to Katara and placed it in front of her. Laying down next to her, Zuko watched as Katara devoured the meat. Licking her lips, Katara nuzzled Zuko's thick guard fur. Zuko's gold eyes softened and he looked at her lovingly. Katara cleaned her pups, which grunted and sighed. Their bellies full of milk. Zuko placed his head on her back, falling asleep.


	6. Raising Pups and the Newcomers

Katara crawled out of the den and stretched, loosening the muscles that had tightened from being confined to the den. She trotted to the lake to get a drink. She stepped into the water and swam around, cleaning her long, thick fur. Getting out of the water, Katara shook the water off her fur. Looking around, Katara spotted the pack's most recent kill. She trotted over to it and ate the important organs, devouring a hindquarter as well.

Katara sprawled on her side, taking a short break from her pups. They were 4 weeks old. Their eyes were already open and their ears were already standing. They were already walking around and starting trouble. There were 6 females and 5 males. There were 4 black phase, 4 brown, 2 silvers, and 1 snow white pup. All the pups had 1 gold eye and 1 blue eye.

Aang and Toph saw Katara and ran over to her, barking excitedly. Katara looked at them, tail thumping on the ground. They yipped and licked her muzzle. They spotted Sokka and tore off after him. As always, the 8 month old pups ambushed Sokka and pulled on his ears and tail, earning a yelp when they did so. Zuko laughed and walked over to his mate.

"He thinks he wouldn't have to be subjected to Toph and Aang's ambushes anymore. You think he complains little now. I can't wait until he figures out how wrong he will be!" Zuko laughed.

"You're right. One more week and Sokka better watch out! I think it is almost time to introduce our pups to the rest of the pack," Katara said softly, nuzzle Zuko.

Zuko glanced at the den then looked at his pack. Iroh was napping in the sun. Ursa was chatting with Suki, whose stomach was starting to swell. Aang and Toph were chasing Sokka, nipping at his hocks and tail. Sokka ran, trying to get away from Aang and Toph. Aang and Toph gave up on chasing him and sprawled on their sides. Sokka looked at them and lay down, falling asleep.

"We will introduce our pups next week," Zuko said. Katara smiled and licked his muzzle.

Zuko and Katara watched the pack for a while. Getting up, Katara trotted back to the den and crawled in. As soon as she lay down, the small-pups ran up to her. Smiling softly, Katara licked her pups all over. The pups yipped and licked her chin, small tails wagging excitedly. Katara sprawled on her side, tail thumping the ground. Closing her sky-blue eyes, Katara fell asleep.

Zuko stared at the den, tail wagging. Standing up, Zuko turned and walked to the stream. Taking a long drink, he lifted his muzzle and licked his lips. He trotted back to the den and curled up in front of it, placing his head on his paws and fell asleep.

Ursa flicked an ear back. Suki opened her jaws in a yawn. She looked at Ursa and politely excused herself. She trotted over to Sokka and lay next to him, sprawled on her side. Her stomach was slightly bulging. She was carrying Sokka's pups and was due to whelp the end of the next month. Normally, this wouldn't be allowed but Zuko was fine with it. Suki closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Ursa watched as the pack slept. Iroh lay next to her, snoring. Sokka and Suki were curled up next to each other. Ursa saw her son stretched out on his side in front of the den, guarding his mate and pups. She watched as Aang and Toph staggered sleepily to Zuko, curling up right next to him. Zuko licked their heads, tail thumping on the ground. Ursa smiled at this. Placing her head on her paws, she went to sleep.

A few days later, Zuko and the pack went out to hunt. Suki stayed behind to keep Katara company. The pack traveled a good distance from the den, following the trail of an injured elk. When they got close, aang and Toph lunged and sank their teeth into its hindquarters. Iroh grabbed onto its shoulder. Ursa and Sokka tried to trip it. Zuko lunged and grabbed its throat, crushing the jugular with his powerful jaws.

Zuko threw his head back and howled, letting his mate know that they made a kill and were bringing it back to her. Zuko pricked his ears forward and wagged his tail, hearing Katara's howl. Grabbing the dead elk, Zuko and his pack dragged it back to the den. Aang and Toph chased each other on the way. Zuko let out a bark and the two pups stopped and went back to helping.

When the pack reached the den site, they dropped the elk. Zuko looked around and saw Katara laying in the sun. he smiled softly and trotted over to her. As soon as he reached her, Zuko was tackled to the ground. Zuko looked around in confusion. His gold eyes landed on Sokka, who was laughing his tail off. Flicking an ear back, Zuko heard yipping and growling. Looking back, he was surprised to see his pups out of the den. He glanced at Katara, who looked at him with her beautiful sky-blue eyes. Katara pulled her lips back in a grin.

"Why are the pups out here?" Zuko asked, confused.

"They were tired of being kept in the den any longer. I thought it would be ok for a little bit. Plus, they were asking when the _'Big Black Wolf'_ would be coming back," Katara said, laughing softly.

"'_Big Black Wolf'_ huh? Silly pups," Zuko laughed.

Hearing their father laugh, the pups ran up to him and whined. They yipped excitedly and their little tails were wagging a mile a minute. Zuko looked at his pups and smiled softly. Laying down, Zuko allowed the pups to climb all over him. They pulled on his tail and licked his chin. He nosed a few on their sides and licked them.

Katara watched Zuko and their pups, her tail wagging. He was really gentle with them. Aang and Toph ran over to them, barking excitedly. 2 of the black pups and 1 silver pup ran up to them, yipping. Aang and Toph nuzzled the pups, knocking them over. Ursa and Iroh trotted over to see the pups, as it was their first time out of the den. The other 2 black pups and the other silver pup ran up to them, bouncing around excitedly. Iroh and Ursa laughed, lying down and letting the pups climb on them.

The 4 brown pups ran over to Suki and Sokka. Suki licked them and nuzzled them. They yipped excitedly and tackled Sokka, who yelped and lay on his back. He wagged his tail and nipped them gently. The pups licked his muzzle.

Zuko walked over to the elk and tore into it. When he was finished, he trotted back to Katara and lay next to her. Katara nuzzled him. Zuko smiled and fell asleep. Katara glanced around, happy that the pack liked her pups. The pup with fur the color of snow walked over to her mother and curled up between her legs, placing her head on Katara's paw. Katara looked at her pup. She was the smallest of Katara's litter and was pushed around by her littermates, making it hard for her to nurse at times.

Normally, when a female sees a weak pup, she will push it away from the rest of the litter, knowing that its chances of survival were next to nothing. Katara, however, didn't do that. She made sure that her white pup got enough milk, as she didn't want to lose any pup from her first litter.

Katara looked at the pack. Everyone had fallen asleep, tired from hunting and playing with Katara's pups. Katara looked at her snow-colored pup and nuzzled her. The pup nuzzled her mother's cheek and fell asleep. Katara smiled softly and placed her head on Zuko's paw, closing her sky-blue eyes. Katara felt something curling against her stomach. Lifting her head, she saw the rest of her pups sleeping against her stomach. Aang and Toph were sleeping with their heads on her hindquarters. Katara placed her head back on Zuko's paw and fell asleep.

A week passed and Katara's pups were 5 weeks old. The pack loved the pups. Iroh would tell them stories. Ursa would watch them and play with them when Zuko and Katara went on patrol. Suki would play with them when she had enough energy. Aang and Toph loved to wrestle with them. Sokka, as always, was the target for the pups to play pranks on. Sokka took the abuse in good stride. Sokka knew that Katara would attack him if he ever hurt, accidently or not, her pups.

The pups were coming into their personalities. The silver males were laid-back and passive, like their great-uncle Iroh. The 2 brown and 1 black phase males were dominant and loved to pick on their Uncle Sokka. The 1 brown and 3 black phase females were passive, but loved to get into trouble at times. Their eyes changed to be the color of Grandma Ursa's.

The snow-colored female had a personality identical to her mother, Katara. She was kind and caring. She would play with the others and liked the pack. She loved her parents. Out of the whole pack, the snow pup was Zuko's joy. Her eyes remained the same, 1 gold and 1 blue. Katara named her Shiro.

The black phase male was called Sai. The 2 brown males were named Apache and Zen. The 3 black phase females were named Saya, Kira, and Cedar. The brown female was named Willow. The silver males were called Gen and Kano.

"Uncle Sokka! Please play with us!" Saya, Apache, and Cedar whined, bouncing around their uncle.

"Yeah come on! Please 'Uncle" Sokka!" Toph teased him, Aang laughing next to her.

"No. Stop bugging me! I'm tired!" Sokka whined, putting his paws over his ears.

The pups, Aang, and Toph pounced on Sokka. They tugged on his ears and tail. Kano, Gen, Sai, and Willow joined in. Kano nipped at his neck. Gen and Sai snapped at his hindquarters. Sokka whined and yelped, trying to get the pups off him.

Sokka finally had enough. He pulled his lips back and growled at the pups. The pups ignored him. Sokka's growl turned into a snarl and he snapped at them, catching Apache on his shoulder. Apache yelped painfully. Sokka snapped at Kano and Sai, catching their tails. Kano and Sai yelped louder.

Hearing the cries, Katara charged Sokka. Seeing their mother, the pups ran to her with Toph and Aang right behind them. Katara pounced on Sokka, pinning him on his back. She snarled and grabbed his muzzle in her mouth, putting pressure on it. Sokka yelped loudly and started whimpering. Katara let go of his muzzle and stood over him, head and tail raised. Sokka licked her muzzle, ears pinned back and tail tucked.

"I want you to apologize to my pups. Right Now!" Katara growled, looking her brother right in the eye.

Sokka broke the eye contact and ran over to his nieces and nephews. He licked their muzzles in apology. The pups wagged their tails and chased him, nipping at his hocks. Zuko trotted over to Katara, Shiro right behind him. Katara smiles and nuzzles Zuko's shoulder. She looks at her snow-colored daughter and licks her muzzle. Shiro yips and nudges Katara's muzzle. Zuko looked at them lovingly. He looks up and pricks his ears, head and tail going up.

"Are we there yet? I'm bored!" and excited voice barked.

"I don't know. I don't care, Ty Lee," another voice said.

"Shut up! Just ignore her, Mai," a third voice growled.

Zuko froze when he heard the voices. Sokka and the pups froze, hearing the voices, and ran over to Zuko, Katara, and Shiro. Suki, Iroh, and Ursa joined them. They watched as three wolves walked into the clearing. Ursa, Zuko, and Iroh looked at the new wolves. Zuko stepped in front of Katara and his pups protectively, hackles raised, ears pricked, head and tail raised.

"Look Azula! Its your mom, brother, and uncle!" Ty Lee yipped, tail wagging excitedly.

"Mom? Uncle? Zuko? Is it really you?" Azula said, brown eyes going wide. Mai looked at them, shocked.

Azula is 1 ½ years. She stands 22 inches at the shoulder. She has jet black fur and brown eyes. She is the younger sister of Zuko and friends with Ty Lee and Mai.

Mai and Ty Lee are the same age as Azula. They stand 22 inches at the shoulder. Mai has black fur and eyes. She is stoic and shows no interest in things. Ty Lee has brown fur and eyes. She is very energetic and playful. She is Mai's littermate.

Azula slowly made her way over to the pack, whining. Zuko pulled his lips back and growled. He caught Katara's eye and stopped. Azula stopped when Zuko growled and she whined. Ursa walked up to her and nudged her gently. Azula whined and licked her mother's muzzle, tail wagging.

Mai and Ty Lee walked up to the pack. Iroh greeted them, wagging his tail. Toph and Aang went up to Ty Lee and sniffed her muzzle. Ty Lee slapped her paws on the ground in a play-bow, tail wagging excitedly. Aang barked and chased after her, Toph following. Mai sat down and stared at Zuko, who nudged Katara gently.

Katara looked at her pups, which were starting to doze off. She looked at Zuko with her sky blue eyes and licked his muzzle. Zuko nudged her muzzle and smiled softly. Katara picked Shiro up gently by the nape of her neck and trotted over to the shade, putting Shiro down. The rest of the pups licked Zuko's paw and stumbled over to their mother and sister. They curled up next to Katara and fell asleep quickly. Zuko watched as Katara lay next to their pups and fell asleep. He glanced at Mai, who turned her head.

"I missed you a lot mom," Azula whimpered.

"I missed you too. I am glad that you are ok," Ursa said softly.

Azula walked up to her brother and whined, licking his muzzle. Zuko stiffened, glanced at his beautiful sleeping mate, and relaxed. He took his sister's muzzle in his mouth gently for a second. Iroh walked up to his niece and licked her muzzle. Zuko looked over and saw Sokka being chased around by Aang, Toph, and Ty Lee. Suki laughed at her mate. Mai trotted up to Zuko, who froze and looked at her.

"It has been awhile, Zuko," Mai said.

"It has. What are you doing here?" Zuko replied, giving a low growl.

"Your sister wanted to look for your mother. Ty Lee and I wanted to leave the pack, so we followed. I never thought that we would ever see you, your mother, or your uncle after what happened. I never would have thought that you would join a different pack, much less sire pups," Mai said.

"I am glad that I left. They were never pack. I am the alpha of this pack. I didn't think that I would ever sire a litter. That changed when I met Katara," Zuko turned his golden gaze to his wonderful and caring mate. He smiled softly and his eyes glowed lovingly. "I am happy"

"Zuko, can we stay? I want to be with mom again. I want to feel safe again," Azula asked, trotting over to her brother.

Zuko looked at his sister. She was scared. She was still young and needed the security of a balanced pack. Ty Lee trotted over and listened. Mai glanced at him. Zuko took their muzzles in his mouth, then let go. Azula whined and wagged her tail. Mai nipped him. Ty Lee barked excitedly and licked his muzzle.

Zuko walked away, checking on his pack. His mother and uncle were swimming. Suki was lying on her side, stomach bulging. Sokka was splashing around in the water, fishing. Toph and Aang were curled up next to Katara.

Ty Lee trotted a few wolf-lengths from Katara and sprawled on her side. Mai lay in the shade. Zuko trotted over to his sleeping mate, pups, Toph, and Aang. He lay next to Katara and placed his head on her back, falling into a light sleep. He sensed that the next few weeks would bring more surprises. He chose to not worry.


	7. The Attack and New Pups

3 weeks passed and Katara was the first to wake that morning. Lifting her head, she let out a yawn. She slowly stood up, stretched, and shook the grass off her fur. She licked Zuko's muzzle and trotted to the river. Katara lowered her muzzle and lapped at the water. Flicking an ear back, she heard paw-steps running towards her. Before she could turn her head, Katara was tackled by Aang, Toph, and Ty Lee.

"Good morning mom!" Aang and Toph barked excitedly.

Katara looked at them in shock. That was the first time she ever heard the 9-month-old pups call her that. Her sky-blue eyes glowed happily. Standing up, Katara nipped the two pups lovingly. Toph and Aang whined happily. Katara looked at Ty Lee, who bounced around and licked her chin.

"Do you ever slow down? Your sister and Azula were never that wired,"

"I don't think she will ever slow down,"

Katara looked around to see Zuko trot over to her, Azula right behind him. Katara nuzzled her mate's neck, tail wagging. Zuko licked her muzzle lovingly. Azula sat behind her older brother, head tilted in confusion. She had never seen her brother be affectionate with any female, only herself and their mother. As a small-pup, Azula had seen many females in the pack trying to catch Zuko's eye. She saw how her brother would ignore them, growling at them when he had enough. Yet here was Zuko, with a mate and a litter of pups. Azula smiled softly. If her brother and mother were happy, then so was she.

"Come play tag with us Azula!"

Azula looked over to see Ty Lee, Aang, and Toph staring at her, tails wagging excitedly. Jumping up, Azula slapped her paws on the ground in a play-bow and ran. Toph, Aang, and Ty Lee chased after her. Zuko and Katara watched as the four young-wolves played. Out of the corner of Katara's eye, she saw Sokka slowly sneaking away. Unfortunately, he didn't get far and was tackled by Toph, Aang, Ty Lee, and Azula. Iroh, Ursa, and a heavily pregnant Suki laughed. Katara smiled and Zuko shook his head, grinning.

Iroh and Ursa watched as Azula played with Ty Lee, Toph, Aang, and Sokka. Ursa smiled softly, happy that her daughter was welcomed into Zuko's pack. She hoped that Azula would remain like Zuko- loyal, caring, and level-headed. Ursa watched as Azula ran up to her older brother, inviting him to play. She smiled as Zuko joined in the game. Ursa glanced at Ty Lee, who was trying to get Mai to play with them.

Ursa turned her attention to Mai, feeling a little uneasy. She watched as Mai snapped at Ty Lee, then look over at Zuko. Ursa's unease grew as she saw the look in Mai's eyes. Mai watched as Zuko rough-housed with Sokka, then focused her attention on Katara and let out a growl. Ursa saw this and knew that Mai would attempt to challenge Katara.

Katara watched as the pack played. Knowing that the pack would be hungry, Katara stretched and trotted away to hunt. She didn't have to go far and found a herd of deer. She caught sight of a large, old doe and gave chase. Katara ran swiftly and lunged at the doe's throat, knocking it to the ground and killing it quickly. Shaking the dirt off her, Katara dragged the dead deer back to her pack. She was just about to walk into the clearing when she was knocked to the ground. Looking up, Katara saw Mai standing over her and growling. Katara jumped up and snarled, ears pinned back and tail standing straight up. Mai continued to growl at her.

Mai circled around Katara, growling. Katara watched with her keen sky-blue eyes. Mai lunged at Katara, who dodged to the side and snapped at her. Mai lunged again, grabbing Katara's shoulder in her jaws. Katara snarled and bit down hard on Mai's ear. Mai yelped and released her hold on Katara's shoulder. Mai lunged again, only to be grabbed by the neck and thrown to the ground. Katara pinned her and bit her muzzle hard, drawing blood. Mai struggled to get up, the stopped. Katara snarled a warning and let her up. Katara walked over to the carcass and dragged it into the clearing. Mai followed behind, tail tucked and keeping a distance between them.

Katara was greeted by her pups, Apache and Kano leading the litter. They leapt up at their kind and loving mother, licking her chin and yipping happily. Shiro was happy to see her mother. Whining and licking her paw. Shiro caught the scent of blood, eyes widening as she saw blood dripping from her mother's shoulder. Wondering who could have injured her strong mother, Shiro looked around. Her gold and blue eyes were automatically drawn to her aunt's friend, Mai. Shiro knew that her dad would want to know who injured her mom.

"Are you ok mom? You're bleeding," Shiro asked her loving mother.

Zuko stopped playing as soon as he smelled blood. Looking over, he saw his mate with blood dripping off her shoulder. Panicking, he bolted over to Katara. Katara looked at Zuko and saw that he was beginning to panic. She nuzzled his neck, trying to calm him. Zuko nudged her cheek, whining. Shiro looked up at her father, wanting to tell him who she was sure injured her mother. She glanced over at Mai and caught the sight of blood on her muzzle. Shiro pinned her ears and growled.

"What happened, Katara? Who did this?" Zuko asked, growling.

"I'm fine, Zuko. I just got too close to a sharp branch when I was hunting. You don't have to worry," Katara whispered softly, ears going back and licking his muzzle.

Zuko wasn't convinced. The injury on his mate reminded him of when he had fought with… Zuko shook his head, not wanting to remember. He licked Katara's shoulder, cleaning the blood encrusted in her thick, chocolate brown fur. He licked her muzzle and trotted away. Katara watched him leave, then turned her attention to her pups. She smiled softly and rough-housed with them, not noticing that her snow-colored pup had ran after her mate.

Ursa and Iroh were watching when Mai had followed Katara into the woods. Ursa glanced at Iroh, who was glaring at the young-wolf. Ursa pulled her lips back in a growl when she saw Katara return with blood dripping from her shoulder, Mai a good distance behind with blood on her muzzle. Ursa watched as Mai walked over to Azula and told her something. She saw that Azula pinned her ears back and heard her growl at Mai before joining Aang, Toph, and Ty Lee in chasing after Sokka. Ursa glanced at Iroh and saw him watching little Shiro run after Zuko. They both smiled, knowing that the white pup would tell Zuko.

"Dad. I want to tell you something,"

Zuko looked back and saw his snow pup running up to him, panting slightly. He smiled softly and waited. He touched noses with Shiro and licked the top of her head. Shiro growled in embarrassment, making Zuko laugh.

"What's the matter, Shiro?" Zuko asked, having a feeling that Shiro knew what was going on, as she was very quick to figure things out.

"I know who hurt mom. It was Aunt Azula's friend-the quiet one. I smelled mom's blood on her muzzle," Shiro told her father, staring at him with the bright bi-color eyes.

Zuko looked at his daughter, noticing that she was growling softly. He flicked an ear back, hearing one of the pack approaching. He watched as his daughter's blue and gold eyes narrowed, focusing on something behind him. Zuko turned to see Mai staring at him. He heard Shiro growl at Mai. Zuko's golden eyes narrowed as he looked at her. His hackles rose and his tail stood rigid.

Azula, Ty Lee, Aang, and Toph sensed that Zuko was angry and stopped chasing Sokka. Sokka looked over at Zuko, saw his stance, and tensed up. Iroh and Ursa trotted over and saw Zuko towering over Mai, biting her muzzle hard to let her know that attacking Katara was unacceptable. They watched as Zuko threw Mai to the ground, snarling. They watched as Zuko let her up, growl a final warning, and trot over to them.

Azula greeted her brother first, whining and licking her muzzle in apology. Zuko growled softly and nipped her ear. Aang and Toph licked his muzzle, then ran over to make sure that Katara, who was napping, was ok. Ty Lee and Azula trotted over to Mai, growling and snapped at her to let her know that they were not happy that she had attacked Katara. Mai whimpered, now knowing that she will never hurt the Alpha female. She told herself that she will never break the Law of Pack again, as attacking an alpha can lead to severe discipline, exile, or death. Sokka trotted over to Suki, yelping when she snapped at him and slowly walked into the den. Sokka tilted his head, confused.

Katara sensed that something was about to happen. Waking up from her nap she stood, shook the dirt from her fur, and trotted towards the den. Her ears pricked forward and her whole body was alert. The rest of the pack stopped what they were doing and walked over to Katara. The alpha pair's pups became calm. Aang, Toph, Ty Lee, and Azula lay next to the small-pups. Mai crawled towards Katara, who gave a low growl, and lay down. Ursa and Iroh smiled knowingly. Zuko watched as Sokka paced back and forth. Katara nipped at Sokka, who stopped. A couple hours passed and the pack was eating the carcass.

Sokka was about to grab more meat when his head shot up and his ears pricked forward. He loped over to the den and crouched down, ears flicking around. Feeling something nudge him, Sokka looked up to see his little sister smiling at him. Sokka licked her muzzle, then peered into the den. Little whimpers reached his ears and his tail wagged. He watched as his lovely mate lay on her side, tail thumping the ground contentedly.

Suki gazed at Sokka lovingly with her green eyes. She smiled softly as Sokka crawled over to her and licked her muzzle, then turning his sky-blue eyes to look at the newborn pups in wonder. Suki looked at her litter of 5 pups, feeling content. Sokka smiled lovingly at Suki and their newborn pups. There was only one male in the litter of five. All of them had chocolate brown fur. Sokka licked Suki's muzzle before crawling out of the den to let her rest.

When Sokka emerged from the den, he was greeted by the pack. The small-pups, Aang, Toph, Ty Lee, Azula, and Mai licked his chin, tails wagging excitedly. Iroh slapped a paw on his back and laughed. Ursa smiled softly and licked his cheek. Sokka grinned, tail wagging. Zuko and Katara lay next to each other a few wolf-lengths away, Katara nuzzling Zuko. Sokka saw them and raced over to them, tackling them excitedly. The pack watched Sokka, barking with laughter as Zuko growled and knocked Sokka off him and Katara. Katara laughed softly and nipped Zuko, who whined and licked her muzzle.

Sokka groaned and stood up, shaking the dirt and grass off of him. He licked Zuko and Katara's chin, tail wagging. Zuko took Sokka's muzzle in his mouth lightly and let go. Katara nuzzled her brother's shoulder. Sokka danced around, then looked at Zuko.

Knowing what he wanted, Zuko nodded and sat down. Sokka lifted his muzzle to the night sky and howled towards the full moon, proudly announcing the arrival of his first litter of pups. Zuko and Katara joined in, howling as the alpha pair proudly announcing the arrival of their nieces and nephew. The rest of the pack joined in the howling.

When the howling ended, Sokka invited the pack to play. Zuko and Katara didn't join in the games. They lay next to each other and watched their pack in contentment. Zuko placed his head on Katara's back, falling asleep. Katara lay her head on his paws, sky-blue eyes slowly closing with sleep. The last thing Katara felt before falling asleep was her 11 pups, Aang, Toph, Ty Lee, Azula, and Mai curling up next to her and Zuko and quickly drifting to sleep, tired from a long and eventful day.


	8. It is Finished, Thoughts of the Future

Three days have passed since Suki had her litter. The only times she would leave the den is when she needed a drink or to use the bush. Sokka made sure to bring her a few rabbits when she was hungry. The pups were already quite active, moving around and being louder than normal. Katara heard the pups when walking by the den. Suki had been confused as to why the pups were so loud and active at 3 days old and asked Katara, who laughed.

"Who do you think acts like that?" Katara told her, then looked at the pack.

Suki cocked her head and followed Katara's gaze.

"STOP! I DON'T WANT TO PLAY RIGHT NOW!"

Suki realized what Katara meant. She watched as Sokka bolted past them, tail tucked with 10 of Katara's pups, Aang, Toph, Azula, and Mai running after him. Barks of laughter were heard from Iroh and Ursa as the young-wolves and small-pups ambushed Sokka and tackled him to the ground. High-pitched whines were heard, coming from Sokka.

"You have your answer now," Katara laughed and trotted away, Shiro running after her.

Suki laughed and crawled back into the den. Being careful as to not squish the pups, she sprawled on her side and licked her pups. Suki lay her head down and fell asleep.

The pack played while Suki napped. Sokka was splashing around in the lake. Iroh wrestled with Apache, Kano, and Gen. Willow was chasing after a laughing Ursa. Cedar and Zen were rough-housing with the more playful Mai. Sai and Kira were playing tag with Azula. Kaya was racing Ty Lee in the shallow water. Katara was teaching Shiro how to fish. Zuko took Toph and Aang to patrol the territory.

Katara glanced around, making sure that the pack was ok. She watched as her 8-week-old pups flopped onto the cool grass, tired from playing all morning. Iroh, always the lazy one, was sprawled on his side, sleeping. Sokka rolled around in the grass, then trotted over and lay at the entrance of the den. Ursa and Azula were sunbathing. The more playful Mai and the high-energy Ty Lee trotted over to Katara, licked her muzzle, curled up next to her, and fell into a deep sleep. Katara smiled softly, tail thumping the ground. Shiro climbed onto her back and fell asleep. Katara glanced around one last time and fell into a light sleep.

At the far end of the territory, Zuko, Aang, and Toph were still on patrol. Zuko stopped every 20 feet to lift his leg high and mark a tree or bush, letting lone wolves and other packs know of the territory claim. He made sure to give lessons to Aang and Toph when they patrolled. After 10 minutes Zuko stopped suddenly, Aang and Toph accidently ramming right into his hindquarters. Zuko slowly looked around with sharp golden eyes, ears flicking back and forth. Lifting his muzzle, Zuko scented the air. Toph and Aang pressed up against him, shaking slightly.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" a deep voice sneered.

Zuko whipped around at the voice he wished he could forget. Aang and Toph pressed into his side more. Zuko glanced at them, then back to the source of the voice. He straightened to his full height, already thick fur rising, tail standing up and rigid. He pulled his lips back, a deep growl rumbling in his chest.

"Why are you here?" Zuko growled, fangs bared.

"Is that any way to speak to your father?" the male wolf sneered.

"You are no sire of mine, as well as my mother and uncle. I left the pack because I wanted no part of it. I want you to leave, Ozai," Zuko's growl turning into a snarl.

Ozai is 7 years old and stands 30 inches at the shoulder. His fur is jet black and his eyes are red-gold. He has a stocky build. He is the younger brother of Iroh and former mate to Ursa.

"It seems that you didn't learn from that _little_ lesson. This time, your punishment will be far worse," Ozai growled, hackles rising.

Zuko tensed up, then glanced at Aang and Toph. Not wantin them to get hurt, Zuko flicked an ear and gestured with his tail toward the den. Aang whined and nudged Zuko, who snapped at him and Toph. Listening to Zuko, Aang and Toph turned and bolted to the den. Zuko listened until he couldn't hear the 10 month old pups. He turned his attention back to his sire, waiting for him to make the first move.

Ozai and Zuko circled around each other, growling and hackles raised. Zuko watched his sire's every move. Ozai charged, snarling and snapping. Zuko leapt out of the way, twisted around, and landed a quick bite on Ozai's shoulder. Ozai whipped his head around and sank his teeth into Zuko's back. Zuko growled, bit his neck, and flipped Ozai onto his side. Ozai leapt up and aimed a killing bite at Zuko's throat. Zuko dodged and turned, sinking his fangs into Ozai's neck.

Zuko tightened his grip and rolled Ozai to the ground. Ozai struggled to get up, but was slammed into the ground again. Zuko slowly maneuvered his jaws towards his sire's jugular, slamming a large paw into Ozai's chest. Ozai pulled his lips back in a growl, only to have Zuko bite down harder and piercing his jugular with sharp fangs. Ozai coughed up blood, then took his final breath.

Zuko let go of his sire's throat, staring at him. Zuko threw back his head and howled in triumph. Ending the howl, Zuko marked the tree nearby and turned back towards the den. A nightmare had ended, and Zuko didn't have to worry about his pack being in danger anymore. On the way back, Zuko took down an injured elk and dragged it back to his pack.

Katara had woken up to the sounds of Aang and Toph running into the clearing, whining. Katara jumped up and ran to them, nudging them gently. They were trembling and pressed up against her, gaining comfort from the strong and loving Alpha female. Katara licked their muzzles to calm them. Flicking an ear back, Katara heard rustling in the bushes. Looking around, she saw her mate dragging an elk for the pack to eat.

Katara loped over to Zuko and licked his muzzle. Zuko whined and nipped her chin, walking away stiffly. Katara watched in confusion. Zuko never ignored her. She noticed that he was limping, and spotted blood that were dripping from wounds that were not there when he left. Katara trotted over to Zuko, nudged hus muzzle, and started licking his wounds. Zuko slowly turned his head and nuzzled Katara's shoulder affectionately. Ursa and Iroh ran over to them, whining in concern.

"It is finished," Zuko growled.

Iroh and Ursa looked at Zuko. Ursa whined and turned her head away, upset that it had ended that way. She knew that it had to be that way if Zuko was to keep his pack safe. Iroh nodded. He knew that his younger brother would meet his end sooner or later, and Zuko had dealt the final blow. Iroh nudged Ursa, who wagged her tail and trotted over to sleep next to her daughter and grand-pups.

Katara nuzzled Zuko, who playfully nipped her tail. Katara yipped and jumped over him. Zuko pulled his lips back in a grin and chased after his mate. He ran up to her and snapped at her. Katara leapt out of the way. She rubbed her body against him, flicking her tail teasingly in his face. Zuko growled playfully and gently knocked her onto her back. He towered over her, tail flicking back and forth, gold eyes shining mischievously, lips pulled back in a grin.

Katara struggled to get up, only to be pushed back gently by Zuko's giant paw. Her sky-blue eyes shined, lips pulled back in a soft smile, tail wagging happily. Zuko lowered his head and touched noses with her. Katara licked his chin. Zuko nudged her muzzle lovingly.

"EWWW! Mom! Dad! That's gross"

Zuko and Katara looked over and saw their pups staring at them, with either a disgusted or embarrassed look. Zuko let Katara up and walked over to his pups. They jumped up and licked his chin. Zuko laughed and nudged them lovingly. Shiro licked his muzzle, then ran over to her mother. Katara licked her head, then watched as Zuko played with their pups. They were big for being 8 weeks old. Their heads already reached the chests of their parents. In a few more weeks, the pups would probably be as tall as Aang and Toph. By that time, Katara's nieces and nephew would meet the pack for the first time. Katara couldn't wait until then.

As Zuko played with his pups, he felt freer than when he left his old pack almost a year before. With his sire no longer of this world, Zuko knew that he didn't have to worry anymore. The only danger to his pack was gone. His pups would grow up safely, as would Suki's litter.H


	9. Puppy Chaos and Two More Packmates

A month has passed since Zuko eliminated his evil and dangerous sire. The wounds from the fight healed quickly, thanks to the care of his loving mate. Ursa and Azula were upset at first, but knew that it was done for their protection. Zuko lay sprawled on his side, sun-bathing and taking a nap. Playing with and disciplining 10 12-week-old pups would do that to any wolf.

Katara glanced at her sleeping mate then invited her pups to chase her. The pups tore off after her, growling and pushing each other out of the way to reach their mother first. Apache led his littermates in the chase. Shiro sat next to his napping father, watching as her mother dodged her littermates, rolled them over, and tore off again.

Iroh and Ursa took Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee out hunting. 11 month old Aang and Toph swam in the river. Sokka chased his Alpha sister around the clearing with his nieces and nephews, trying to tackle her, only to be slapped to the ground by her paw. His nieces and nephews laughed at their goofy uncle.

Shiro pulled her lips back in a smirk, bi-color eyes shining. Now 12 weeks old, Shiro's eye color remained the same. Her snow-colored fur was losing its puppy fuzz, slowly turning into a long fur like her mother. She still had her mother's personality. Amazingly, for being born the smallest in the litter, Shiro now stood taller than Kano, the once largest pup.

Shiro opened her jaws in a yawn, then flicked an ear back. Glancing around, Shiro caught sight of 5 pups that didn't belong to her litter. She stood up and walked over to the younger pups, only to be growled and snapped at by Suki. She pinned her ears back and whined. Suki pulled her lips back in a warning, still weary to let others near, as it was her first litter. Suki was about to growl when she froze, slowly pinning her ears back and tucking her tail between her legs.

Confused, Shiro turned to see her loving mother and powerful father staring at her aunt Suki. Suki crawled up to Katara and Zuko, whining and licking their muzzles. Katara wagged her tail and walked over to the small-pups, very eager to see her nieces and nephew for the first time. When she reached them, Katara whined happily and lay next to them, tail thumping the ground. Suki watched as her pups clumsily walked all over their very patient and sweet-tempered aunt Alpha. Zuko watched Katara with Suki's pups, noticing the loving yet longing look in her beautiful sky-blue eyes. Even though they had their first litter, Zuko knew that Katara loved all pups. He was already looking forward to mating with his dear Katara in February. Zuko and Katara would be the only ones to mate during the upcoming breeding season.

Aang and Toph saw the small-pups and ran over to them, whining and wagging their tails excitedly. The five pups stopped climbing all over their aunt and walked clumsily over to the young-wolves. Aang lowered his muzzle and smelled the small-pups, who yipped happily. Toph licked the male pup's head, tail wagging. Suki glanced at Katara, who was keeping a watchful eye on her own pups. Suki watched as the Alpha's pups ran to greet their grandmother and great-uncle, who had just returned from hunting.

Sokka trotted over to Zuko, who had once again sprawled on his side to nap with the small-pups curled up next to him. Sokka cocked his head to the side, confused. He turned his sky-blue eyes towards Suki, who looked at the napping Alpha and her pups and trotted over to eat from the fresh elk carcass. Sokka wagged his tail, happy that his pups were accepted by Zuko. He trotted over to his sister, sitting next to her.

"They are real cute Sokka. The pack loves them already, and they will definitely keep everyone from getting bored," Katara said, tail thumping the ground tiredly.

"I know. I'm glad that everyone likes them. But I can tell that they will cause more trouble than your pups," Sokka barked.

"I knew that way before Suki did. They are just like their dad," Katara said, pulling her lips back in a grin.

Sokka tilted his head in confusion. It took a couple minutes for Sokka to figure out what his sister meant. He narrowed his eyes and glared at his sister, letting a growl escape from his chest. Katara barked out a laugh and wagged her tail, slapping Sokka's shoulder with her paw and trotting over to the elk carcass that Iroh and the young-wolves has caught. Sokka groaned and ran after Mai and Azula, snapping at their tails and chasing them around the clearing. Mai and Azula dodged, then jumped on him and started to rough-house.

Ty Lee ran around the den site, jumping over logs and splashing in the water. Toph and Aang raced after her, barking happily. Suki tried to get her pups back in the den, resulting in a lot of whining and pleading to stay outside. Not wanting to get agitated, she relented and let her pups sleep next to Zuko and Katara, who had just lay next to him and fell asleep.

Ty Lee started to slow down, getting tired from chasing elk and racing the other young-wolves. She trotted towards a tree and sprawled on her side in the shade. Katara's pups were napping next to Ursa, Iroh, and Mai. Azula and Shiro slept next to Katara. Suki was sleeping next to Sokka with her head on his back. Aang and Toph were curled up next to each other. Ty Lee rested her head on her paws and drifted into a light sleep.

Rustling was heard an hour later. Mai and Ty Lee pricked their ears forward and stared at the rustling bushes. Mai glanced back at the pack, who were still sleeping, and looked back at the bushes. Ty Lee sat and listened, tail waving back and forth. The noise stopped and two young-wolf males stepped into the clearing, freezing when they realized that they had entered a pack's territory. They lowered their tails and pinned their ears back.

Ty Lee leapt up and trotted over to them, tail wagging excitedly. Mai followed her, tail also wagging. The young males pricked their ears forward and touched noses with them, whining. Mai and Ty Lee wagged their tails and licked the young-wolf males' muzzles. All four young-wolves froze when they heard a growl behind them. Mai and Ty Lee, pinning their ears back and tucking their tails between their legs, turned to see their male Alpha towering over them.

Mai and Ty Lee lowered themselves to the ground, whining apologetically. Zuko stared at the young-wolf females, then looked at the two young males. Gold eyes analyzed the young males, who lowered themselves to the ground and rolled onto their backs with their tails tucked. Zuko continued to stare at the young males, not noticing that Katara had trotted over to stand next to him.

"You two don't need to do that. Stand up," Katara's soft voice said, surprising Zuko. Mai and Ty Lee crawled up to her and licked her chin in apology.

"I'm sorry. We didn't know that this was pack territory. We didn't mean to trespass," one of the males said.

"It's fine. You were probably trying to find your pack," Katara said.

"We… we don't have a pack anymore. They were killed in a fire a year ago. My brother and I have been alone and wandering around since the fire killed our pack," the other male said sadly. Katara's sky-blue eyes stared at them sadly.

The loving and motherly Katara walked up to the young males, who lowered their ears and tails. They were surprised when Katara softly took their muzzles in her jaws and let go, licking their muzzles and wagging her tail. Katara walked back over to Zuko and nuzzled his thick fur, whining. The young males watched in shock as Zuko licked Katara's muzzle lovingly, turning his head to stare at them with soft gold eyes.

"My mate wants you to stay with us. She never turns away a wolf who doesn't have a pack. I am Zuko, the Alpha male. Katara is my mate," Zuko told the young males.

"Thank you. It is really hard to survive without a pack. I am Haru. My brother is Teo," Haru said, tail wagging.

Haru is 2 years old and stands 26 inches at the shoulder. He has thick brown fur and light green eyes. He is very laid-back and friendly. He is Teo's littermate.

Teo is 2 years old and stands 24 inches at the shoulder. He has brown fur and brown eyes. he walks with a slight limp on his left hind leg, caused by an injury that didn't heal properly. He is friendly and playful. He is Haru's younger brother.

Zuko and Katara trotted into the woods, going on patrol and having some alone time. Ty Lee and Mai invited Haru and Teo to play tag. They chased each other, leaping over a sleeping Aang and Toph and splashing in the water. Ty Lee grabbed an elk leg and played tug-of-war with Haru. Teo was limping more, starting to hurt from traveling a long distance and playing with Mai.

Zuko and Katara ran through the woods, enjoying their small time of freedom before returning to their growing pack. They would have to move the pack to their winter den soon, which was close to the elk's breeding grounds. With their 11 pups, Suki's litter of 5, 7 young-wolves, 2 elders, Suki and Sokka, they would be well-fed at the winter den. With a total of 29 wolves, Zuko and Katara's pack was the largest in the area.

When Zuko and Katara returned, they saw Ty Lee curled up next to Haru, who had placed his head on her back. They glanced over at Mai, who was sprawled on her side next to Teo. Teo had his head on her hindquarter. Zuko and Katara lay next to the pups and fell asleep, wondering who would run into them next.


	10. Meeting Grand-Parents

Two months flew by. Aang and Toph were now 13 months old. Aang now stood 23 inches at the shoulder and was starting to get his winter coat in, as did the rest of the pack. Toph now stood 22 inches at the shoulder. Her once dark brown fur turned jet black. Of all the young-wolves, Toph was still the dominant one. None of them dared challenge her, although some did try. Aang would try and break up whatever fights that would occur, with little success. It came as no surprise that Katara was the only one that could snap Toph out of it. All it took was a glance, a nip, or a bark from Katara to have Toph on her back and whining.

Haru and Teo had quickly integrated themselves into the pack. Haru would keep Iroh company when the pack left to hunt without him. Amazingly, Haru had caught the eye of the very high-energy Ty Lee. Teo would play with the small-pups, only stopping when his limp intensified. He had paired off with Mai right from the start. The arrival of Haru and Teo two months before gave Sokka his much needed break from being tormented.

Zuko and Katara's pups were now 5 months old. Silver-furred Kano was the largest male and Snow-furred Shiro was larger than all of her littermates. Out of the entire litter, only Shiro inherited the thick, long fur of her Alpha mother. Silver Gen would catch rabbits with ease, always running over to Katara with a rabbit in his jaws and tail wagging happily. Brown-furred Zen, Kaya, and Willow would run over to their mother with a fish or bird in their jaws and drop it at her paws. Black phase Sai, Cedar, Kira, and Saya still liked to annoy their uncle Sokka. Brown-furred Apache and silver Kano enjoyed following and learning from their powerful and kind father. Shiro, now affectionately called Snowy by the pack, became the mentor and protector of her much younger nieces and nephew.

Sokka and Suki's pups were now 3 months old. Two of the females were sweet-tempered like their aunt alpha. The other two females were like their mother, kind yet stubborn. The only male was exactly like his father. He was very curious which usually getting himself in trouble and being disciplined by his aunt Alpha, as his mother had given up. He was loud and a goof, causing a lot of entertainment for the pack. The pack got even more entertainment when the pup and Sokka did something and was corrected by Katara.

The sweet-tempered females were called Rissa and Hina. The other two females were named Tai and Taka. The trouble-maker was called Nanook. The entire pack adored the pups, even trouble-maker Nanook. The pups loved to chase and wrestle with their father. Even their Alpha uncle would play with them at times. They absolutely adored their Alpha aunt Katara and their cousin Snowy.

The pack was on their way to their Winter den. Zuko and Katara were leading the pack, walking so the small-pups could keep up and stopping when they needed rest. Iroh told the small-pups stories to keep them entertained. Ty Lee flirted with Haru, who laughed and affectionately teased her. Sokka teased his pups with a stick, letting them get lose and then walking away with his tail wagging. Shiro growled and snapped at Sokka, who yelped and ran over to Suki. Ursa, Aang, Toph, and Azula laughed at Sokka. It was evening when pack arrived at the winter den. The small-pups yawned and curled up next to each other, tired from traveling since just before the sun rose that morning.

"Finally! I thought that we would never get here!" Sokka said.

"I know what you mean. You can explore later. The pups are bound to be hungry when they wake up," Zuko barked.

"Aang, Toph. Keep an eye on the small-pups. Shiro, Kano, and Apache will help. Alright, let's go," Katara barked, tail wagging.

The pack howled to start the hunt and trotted into the woods, leaving four of the young-wolves to watch the small-pups. Aang and Toph played Tug-of-War with a piece of rabbit skin. Kano and Apache wrestled. Shiro walked around the winter den site, surveying the area. Aang, Toph, Kano, and Apache started getting tired and lay next to the small-pups. Shiro glanced around, then lay next to her brothers and drifted off to sleep.

Some time later, Shiro's ears picked up the sounds of paw-steps nearby. Slowly, she lifted her head and scanned the area. The sounds were getting closer and she knew that the scents were not her parents or the pack. Shiro looked at her brothers, Aang, Toph, and the small-pups then back in the direction of the noise with her ears pricked. Standing, Shiro walked towards the noise with her hackles and tail up.

"I know you are there. Show yourself!" Shiro growled.

"I told you someone got here before us. But did you listen? No!"

"I heard you before. I just chose to ignore you."

"Will you two stop? There is no point arguing about it now."

Shiro couldn't help but grin. The conversation reminded her of her father, uncle, and mother. Sitting down, she watched as three older wolves trotted out of the woods. She saw that 2 were male and the third was a female. Shiro was a little confused, as the female and one of the males looked exactly like her mother and uncle. Their scent seemed similar to her mother and uncle also.

The 3 wolves went to take a step closer to Shiro when a howl stopped them in their tracks. Shiro watched them closely, surprised when she saw their eyes light up and their tails wag. Another howl was heard and Shiro turned to see her parents and the rest of the pack returning from the hunt, dragging 2 elk carcasses behind them. Shiro wagged her tail and ran up to her mother, whining and licking her muzzle. Katara smiled softly and nudged her pup lovingly. Zuko nuzzled Katara's shoulder and licked her muzzle. Sokka was teasing his nieces and nephews. The rest of the pack lay down and napped, save for Katara's pups.

"I never thought I would see the day when such a large pack would be led by you, Katara."

Katara and Sokka's eyes widened and quickly turned to see three familiar faces. Zuko narrowed his golden eyes and placed himself between Katara and the wolf who spoke, pulling his lips back and growling. Katara growled and nipped her mate's hindquarter, causing him to whine and move to stand next to her. Sokka whined excitedly and bolted over to the 3 wolves, wagging his tail excitedly. Katara followed, tail wagging happily and jumping around like a puppy.

"Mom! Dad! It's so good to see you!" Katara said, licking her parent's muzzles. Sokka did the same.

"Hey! What about me?"

"Bato!" Sokka barked excitedly.

"Figures they would go to you first. Kya, Hakoda," Bato groaned. Hakoda laughed and Kya smiled.

Bato was 7 years old and stands 27 inches at the shoulder. He has dark brown fur and blue eyes. he is protective, kind, and loyal. He is Hakoda's littermate.

Hakoda is 7 years old and stands 27 inches at the shoulder. He has brown fur and blue eyes. He is a goof and a trouble-maker, but is serious when needed. He is Bato's littermate, Kya's mate, and father to Sokka and Katara.

Kya is 7 years old and stands 25 inches at the shoulder. She has long, brown fur and blue eyes. She is very sweet-tempered. She is Hakoda's mate and mother of Sokka and Katara.

"How are you doing sweet-heart?" Kya asked.

"We are fine. Better now that you are here. We missed you," Katara said. Zuko and Shiro walked over to stand next to her. The rest of Katara's litter noticed their mother talking to new wolves and ran over.

"We missed you too. I see that Suki found you Sokka. Who are the wolves next to you though?" Kya asked, looking at Zuko and Shiro.

"I am Zuko, Katara's mate. This is our daughter, Shiro. It is a pleasure to meet you," Zuko said, tail wagging.

"Hakoda! We have a grand-daughter!" Kya said, wagging her tail and touching noses with Shiro.

"I see! Snow-colored too! She is adorable, just like her mother," Hakoda said, touching noses with Shiro also. Bato nudged her gently.

"Shiro is my little snow. She is real sweet. The others have a mix of temperaments," Katara said, smiling softly.

"Others?" Bato and Hakoda asked. Sokka grinned and glanced at Katara.

"Yes, others. You have 16 grand-pups," Katara said.

"D..did you just say 16?" Hakoda asked, eyes widening in shock. Sokka burst out laughing.

"I did. Shiro is one of mine. I have 11 pups and Sokka has 5. Hey pups! Come meet your grand-parents," Katara said.

The 5-month old pups ran over to meet their grand-parents and Bato. They whined and licked Kya's muzzle. Hakoda wagged his tail and nudged the pups. Bato rolled Apache to the ground and laughed. The pups jumped around, barking and nipping at the older wolves. Shiro watched and wagged her tail.

After playing with their 5-month-old grand-pups, Hakoda and Kya trotted over to see their 3-month-old grand-pups. The small-pups looked at them, tails waving back and forth. Nanook jumped up and ran circles around them, barking excitedly. Sokka ran over and knocked Nanook to the ground, then ran off. Bato chased after Sokka and Nanook.

Hakoda and Kya watched their son and his pup, laughing when Sokka accidently ran into Zuko. Zuko barked and rolled him to the ground, Nanook jumping and biting at Zuko's shoulder. They watched as Zuko looked Katara, asking for help. They saw their daughter laugh and trot over to Nanook, who immediately licked her muzzle excitedly. They laughed when Sokka whined and walked over to Suki, sulking. The rest of the pack greeted Hakoda, Kya, and Bato with their tails wagging.

After the excitement died down, the pack tore into the carcasses. A little squabble broke out between Sokka, Hakoda, and Bato. They all wanted the same hindquarter, which caused the fight. Kya, Ursa, and Suki tried to calm them down. The small-pups and young-wolves laughed, knowing how it would end. A growl and a bite from Katara stopped the fight, making the 3 arguing males whine and lick her muzzle in apology. Later, their stomachs bloated with meat, the pack sprawled on their sides and fell asleep. All of them wondering what would happen next.


	11. Just Like Mom

A couple of months passed, snow just beginning to disappear. Spring had finally begun, as did the beginning of the breeding season. Hakoda, Bato, and Kya watched the pack. Iroh and Ursa joined them. Katara's litter from the previous year was 9 months old, already standing 20 inches at the shoulder. They still loved to lease Uncle Sokka, but put more energy into helping the pack hunt. Suki's litter from the previous year was 7 months old, smaller than their cousins. They loved to wrestle with their father and hunt rabbits with their grand-mother.

Zuko trotted over to Katara, whining and licking her muzzle. She gazed at him with soft, sky-blue eyes, nuzzling his thick-furred shoulder. He pulled his lips back, smiling mischievously. Katara glanced at her pack, who were either playing or napping. She turned back to Zuko, nipped his muzzle, and ran into the woods. Zuko ran after her, knowing where Katara was leading him.

Zuko and Katara chased each other through the woods, jumping over fallen logs and splashing through streams. Zuko tackled Katara, pinning her to the ground. Katara nibbled Zuko's chin, making him whine. She pulled her lips back in a grin, flipping him off her. Zuko groaned and nipped her hind-quarter, making her whine. Zuko mated with her on and off for 3 hours, finally dismounting and licking her muzzle affectionately.

The Alpha pair trotted further into the territory, having caught the scent of an elk herd. Golden eyes scanned the herd, catching sight of an old and arthritic bull. Zuko glanced at his mate, who bolted forward and separated the bull from his herd. Katara lunged, sinking her teeth into the bull's stomach. Zuko sank his fangs into the bull's throat, puncturing its jugular and crushing its neck. Katara leapt out of the way, sky-blue eyes watching as the dead bull crashed to the ground.

Katara tore into the elk's stomach, blood pouring onto the ground. Zuko devoured the heart, growling. Katara looked up with her muzzle covered in blood, Zuko licking it off and nuzzling her shoulder. He bit down on the elk's leg, dragging it back to his pack. Katara helped him.

Shiro lay under a tree, blue and gold eyes watching the pack. Uncle Sokka was fighting grandpa Hakoda over a dead fish, unaware that Nanook had already run off with it. Rissa and Taka raced around, trying to catch Azula. Iroh wrestled with Kano and Apache. Ty Lee teased Mai, who growled and trotted over to Teo. The rest of the pack were swimming and splashing each other.

Shiro stood up and stretched, shaking grass off her thick white fur. She glanced around, as if searching for something. The snow-furred female flicked an ear back, listening to the pack flop on the ground and nap. She trotted into the woods, wanting to have some time alone.

The snow-furred daughter of the pack broke into a lope, enjoying the wind blowing through her fur. She jumped over fallen logs and splashed through the stream, tail wagging. Slowing to a trot, Shiro put her muzzle to the ground to take in the different scents. She picked up the scent of her Alpha parents, who had passed through the trail a few hours before. A strange scent caught Shiro's attention and she froze, ears pricked forward.

Whining was heard, a rancid scent filling the air. Shiro glanced around, ears flicking back and forth. The whining intensified and Shiro whipped her head toward the sound, sharp eyes spotting movement. The snow-furred female trotted towards the sound and stopped, blue and gold eyes widening at what she saw.

The sight made Shiro feel upset and disgusted. What appeared to be a male wolf lay on its side, whining painfully. Shiro's keen eyes studied the loner. He was a large wolf, close to her age. He was grey in color with a red tint to his fur. He had four white socks and a white belly. When the male looked up, Shiro saw that his eyes were a silver color.

The loner glanced at Shiro, flinching painfully. Shiro stepped closer and saw why the large male was in pain. Deep lacerations cover his body, wounds dripping blood and the strong smell of infection reaching her nose. A leather contraption was wrapped tightly around his neck, puncture marks covering it. His fur was also singed in places, as if something or someone had burned him.

"What happened to you? I have never seen injuries like that," Shiro said softly, sitting in front of the injured wolf.

"I escaped from a human that thought it was fun to keep a wolf. He would beat and burn me. I have tried to escape before, only to receive a harsher beating. I am finally free, but still bear the scars of that place," the injured wolf said, whining in pain.

"A human did this to you? I have heard of them but never seen one. It would be bad if I did. I don't want to put my pack in any danger," Shiro said, ears flicking back.

"A pack? I have always wondered what it would be like to live in a pack," the male said.

Suddenly a howl echoed through the sky, making Shiro's head shoot up with her ears pricked. She glanced at the injured male, blue and gold eyes softening. The snow-furred female lifted her muzzle to the sky and howled, tail wagging as she recognized the voice of her Alpha parents. Another howl answered, making the lone male whine. Shiro nudged him gently and turned towards the trees.

Rustling was heard and the injured male turned his head, silver eyes widening. Two large wolves trotted out of the brush, the brown-furred female whining in concern. The lone male tilted his head in curiosity. He watched as the snow-furred female loped over to the pair, whining and licking their muzzles affectionately. He watched as the powerful black-furred male nudged her, then turned to stare at him with calculating golden eyes. The brown-furred female nuzzled Shiro affectionately, sky-blue eyes shining. Shiro whined and looked at the injured male, her beautiful brown-furred mother following her gaze.

"I am sorry for trespassing. I didn't know that there were other wolves here," the injured male whined, slowly walking over with blood pouring from his wounds. Shiro whined, nudging Katara.

"You don't have to apologize. You were too worried about fleeing something and didn't realize that you had entered someone's territory. Given your condition, I guess something bad happened to you," Zuko said, golden eyes glancing at his snow-furred daughter. The injured male lowered his head, whining.

"It's ok young one. You don't have to tell us what happened. Come with us. It is safer than being alone," Katara said softly, touching noses with the young male.

"Ok, I would like that. I didn't get your names. I am Arashi," the injured male said, silver eyes gazing at the large Alphas.

"I am Zuko. This is my mate, Katara and my daughter, Shiro," Zuko said, touching noses with Arashi.

"We should head back before Sokka eats everything," Katara said, nudging Zuko and trotting toward the den. Zuko rolled his eyes and followed his loving mate.

Shiro and Arashi followed at a slower pace, so that Arashi wasn't as painful. They talked along the way, getting to know each other. Shiro found out that Arashi was a month older than her. Arashi was surprised to find out that Shiro's parents were the pack Alphas. He was even more surprised to find that there were 29 wolves in her pack. Zuko and Katara listened to them as they talked, Zuko feeling a little on edge.

The four wolves reached the den an hour later, taking breaks so that Arashi could rest. Zuko turned to look at Arashi, golden eyes landing on the collar. He walked over to the young male, fangs bared. Shiro pinned her ears back and tucked her tail, whining. Arashi pressed against her and whimpered, lowering his head. Zuko bit down on the collar with a snap, making it fall to the ground.

Zuko turned and trotted towards the pack, nipping Katara when he passed her. Katara pulled her lips back in a grin and bit his tail, making him yelp. Zuko glared at her, golden eyes shining in amusement. Katara trotted passed him, head high and tail wagging. Zuko growled playfully and raced after her, only to be tackled by his 9 month old pups. Arashi glanced at Shiro, surprised when she rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Sokka, where did the elk go?" Katara said, glaring at her older brother.

"I didn't eat it all. I swear! Your pups are the ones who didn't leave any!" Sokka whined, making Shiro's littermates growl at him.

"Uh Oh! Uncle Sokka is in trouble!" Shiro barked, startling Sokka and causing the rest of the pack to glare at him.

Shiro trotted over to Sokka, Arashi a few wolf-lengths behind. Sokka groaned when his snow-furred niece approached, as she was exactly like her mother when it came to discipline. Sky-blue eyes widened when they landed on the young male, who lay behind Shiro.

"Pup, you are so much like your mother that it is scary," Sokka told Shiro, who grinned and licked his muzzle.

The pack loped over and greeted Arashi, who whined and wagged his tail. Feeling exhausted, Arashi placed his head on his paws and fell asleep instantly. Suki curled up next to Sokka, their pups sprawled on their sides next to them. Katara slept next to Zuko, his head on her back. The young-wolves and Shiro's littermates curled up next to the Alphas. Iroh and Ursa lay next to Hakoda, Kya, and Bato. Shiro licked her parent's muzzles and trotted over to Arashi, curling up next to him and falling asleep. Zuko watched his daughter and Arashi, lips pulled back in a frown. He glanced at Katara with loving golden eyes and nuzzled her affectionately before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
